Bite Me
by h.lovely
Summary: "I'm sorry. Could you repeat that? You're a...what now?" "A vampire." "Uh-huh. That's what I thought you said..." -Duo enters a world of vampires, shape-shifters, and the thrill of bloody romance- 1x2 3x4
1. Prologue

**A/N:** Very lightly based off the amazing series "True Blood"-meaning no sparkly vamps here ;) mainly 1x2 and some 3x4

**Warnings:** Eventual Yaoi/Shonen-Ai; Rated for language and adult situations

**Disclaimer:** Nope, I don't own Gundam Wing

* * *

**Bite Me**

_**Prologue:**_

_The year is AC 198, two years since Earth and its colonies once again are at peace and all mobile suits, including the Gundams, have forever been destroyed. The ESUN has gained new hope for a pacifistic universe, but still some are unsatisfied with the proceedings, hiding out of the governments watchful eyes and attempting to create their own version of peace: immortality._

_The rebel colony L5-A0207, the sister colony to L5-A0206, the former home of the Long Clan, was largely forgotten amongst the shadows of the ESUN's large existence. It became a perfect sanctum to experiment away from prying eyes, doubtful executives, and panicking peacemakers. Even the highly praised Preventers didn't bother to keep this particular colony on their radar._

_Filled with scientists and philosophers deemed mad by modern societies, L5-A0207 slowly became a ticking time bomb sure to catch the ESUN's attention sooner or later...unfortunately for a newly rebuilt, still unstable society it would be the former._

* * *

_AC 198. 3. July_

_0100 hours [1:00 am]_

_Colony L1-X0249_

The silence between the two men sitting a foot apart in a military grade SUV across the street from the Vice Foreign Minister's hotel was undeniably thick.

Both shadowy forms drew breath simultaneously. One soft, tense, and slightly annoyed, the other prominent, anxious, and slightly obnoxious. Despite the heavy silence and erratically different breathing styles the air between them is surprisingly comfortable.

"I hate stakeouts." Duo Maxwell slumped back against his leather seat and arched his back until his vertebrae popped. He peeked over at the man sitting next to him, but didn't receive a response, only steely blue eyes. Unfazed he stretched his gangly arms in front of him toward the tinted windshield. "I mean _technically_ this isn't a stakeout. But still..._boring as hell_."

Duo turned his body and brought a bony knee upwards to rest his chin on and stared at his Preventer partner. "Don't tell me you consider this satisfying work, Heero."

Heero Yuy turned only his neck and head to face Duo with a sideways look. He took in the young man's lax appearance and glowing violet eyes, always amazed that the man never truly grew up, but rather seemed to forever stay a proverbial teenage vagabond. "This is my-_our_-assignment."

Duo shrugged and grinned roguishly. "Not like we ain't allowed to complain though. It's not like Une's here listening to our every word."

Heero gave him a thin lipped look that proved to say "valid point," but still kept his words to himself. Both young men had been with the Preventers now for a little over two years, attached at the hip, but the oddest couple because no one knew for sure if that's what they were exactly. And no one dared to ask for fear of their life. Neither man minded though, Heero enjoying the seclusion it offered him and Duo because he liked the idea of being an enigma and keeping his friends and coworkers guessing. As well it also afforded them the option of working full time together without any questions.

Duo's smirking was interrupted by his radio, a chipper, female voice ringing over the small speaker. "How's it going you two?"

"Fine. Everything going good in your nice, comfy hotel room Hild?" Duo replied with mock scorn.

"Hey, it's not my fault that Relena can't have a personal, full time, _male_ body guard, is it now?" Hilde Schbeiker had joined the Preventers after Relena contacted her in need of more estrogen on her body guard team.

"Yeah, yeah." Heero gave Duo a questioning look and so he asked, "The Princess alright?"

"Relena's fine, fell asleep fast. Long boring conferences and speeches will do that to ya!" Duo could picture Hilde's petite, smiling face and the seven empty styrofoam coffee cups laying on the table in front of her.

"Alright. Thanks for the update Hild."

"Yeah. Try not to fall asleep on the job guys!" she giggled. "Over and out!"

"Roger that. Over and out." Duo rolled his eyes affectionately. Ever since they'd become team members through the Preventers Hilde had been like a sister to him and he played the protective older brother part to a T. Even Heero, who never thought the word" affection" could ever show up in his emotional vocabulary, felt kindly towards the only female Preventer on Relena's personal staff.

Heero sighed and blinked. "I'm going to do a walk around."

"M'kay." Duo stifled a yawn. "Be safe." It was something Duo always said when the two parted, even though he knew well enough that Heero Yuy could take care of himself. It was just old habit.

Heero gave the braided man an almost discernible smile before exiting the vehicle into the colony's artificial night air.

The hotel grounds were protected by an eight foot tall, rod iron fence that, in Heero's opinion, afforded absolutely zero security. Every ten yards held a dimly glowing street lamp, but in between the lights the night surrounding him was completely black. People in the colonies didn't go out at one in the morning so there was no need to light every inch of sidewalk.

Heero ambled along slowly; a walk around was not necessarily needed, but it was better than sitting listening to Duo complain. He didn't mind Duo so much as he minded Duo's big mouth.

A tree branch's leaves rustled above and Heero stopped in his tracks. On earth he would have assumed it was a light breeze, but on the colonies there was no such thing as wind. Heero's eyes glinted as he glanced upwards to find nothing out of the ordinary. He let out the breath he had been impulsively holding and took another step forward.

Ice cold fingers brushed against his neck and Heero's own digits shot to his gun. The frigid fingers turned into multiple pairs of hands grabbing at him. Heero was lighting quick, but they were quicker. His gun was pulled from his grasp effortlessly while his radio was smashed to bits by a strong fist.

"What!-" His voice was silenced by a choking arm around his throat. His muscular body felt like rubber compared to his granite like attackers. Never had Heero Yuy been subdued so quickly in a struggle with no weapons.

"Hey! Heero!" Duo's voice echoed out from down the street, but he wasn't visible through the dark night. He must have heard the static as Heero's radio was destroyed and came looking for him.

Heero attempted to call out to his partner but an icy hand clamped over his mouth as he was helplessly dragged backwards by his unknown assailants. He wasn't sure where he was being taken, but he was determined not to find out. Heero braced himself and tried to struggle, attempting to throw his elbow backwards with all of his body weight.

His bone throbbed all the way to his shoulder; nothing seemed to divert the rock solid masses hauling him along with them like a rag doll.

"Heero! Stop messing around man!" Duo's comment was farther away this time and sounded more anxious than amused.

Never in his life had Heero felt fear like this tingle down his spine. As he began to struggle more the attackers grips grew tighter, nearly cutting off his air supply. "You don't want to die prematurely do you?" The velvety voice slithered into his mind sending goose bumps down his skin.

With one last burst of strength Heero thrust his head backwards, attempting to make contact with one of their foreheads, but his sorry attempt at self preservation was met with a pitiful laugh.

Still being easily pulled along in the shadows, avoiding any spec of light around, Heero's left forearm was grabbed and twisted maliciously behind his back. "Fighting back doesn't work with us." His bone snapped effortlessly in the man's cool grasp.

Heero felt a scream rise in his throat, but was unable to release it. He had broken more bones than he could count, but this was different, this was without justification, without need. The pain radiated through his weakening body, his air intake still slow due to intense grips.

Heero's eyes narrowed in confusion. Who were these men...these stronger than average beings? And what did they want with him?

"Now then, would you like this all to be over?" The figure who had just casually broken his arm cooed into his ear. Heero was losing consciousness quickly, his vision blurred as the men spun his face towards theirs, loosening their hold on his body, his knees buckled when he met their glowing eyes and paper pale skin.

"Who..." but Heero couldn't get the question out through his trembling lips.

The two men took advantage of his feeble state. Quickly one lowered Heero against his body while the other bent his head back exposing his neck to their preying eyes.

Heero felt a piercing set of fangs dig deep into his soft flesh and then...nothing.

* * *

to be continued...


	2. Fangs Revealed

**Bite Me**

_**Chapter 1: Fangs Revealed**_

_AC 201. 17. June_

_2345 hours [11:45 pm]_

_Earth - Sanc Kingdom_

_ "...Breaking news tonight, vampire activists celebrate as the Vampire Rights Act has finally been passed. Mortals and vampires will now live under equal civil law within the Earth Sphere Unified Nation. By law segregation and discrimination of vampires living as citizens within the ESUN is considered a criminal offense. Backers of the bill include Vice Foreign Minister and know pacifist, Relena Peacecraft and CEO President Quatre Raberba Winner. At this time no one can be sure whether this will affect their positions in the Earth Sphere. In other news..."_

Twenty-one year old Duo Maxwell twiddled with the end of his braid and tapped his black booted foot against the granite floor anxiously, his muscles in constant need of motion. Reaching up he scratched the back of his head and turned to look up at the dark eyed man leaning against the wall next to him.

"Can you believe this?"

Wufei didn't remove his vision from the wall monitor, watching an overly syndicated clips of an unfairly criticized speech given by a Winner Industries representative, uninterested in Duo's comment. "Hn," he grunted in reply.

Duo's eyes rolled at his fellow Preventer. "You're real talkative tonight."

"As always, Maxwell." Wufei's vision still didn't leave the screen, but there was a strange glint in his eyes that a stranger might have perceived as amusement.

Wufei Chang was the only Preventer on Relena's personal staff that volunteered for every and all night shifts, in fact, for whatever reason they were the only hours he ever worked. Hilde, Duo, and several others took turns rotating the second guard position for the midnight hours and over the years Duo had learned to dread his shifts with the less than entertaining Wufei.

"Vampires," Duo muttered under his breath, shaking his head incredulously.

Wufei tilted his head towards his braided partner. "You don't believe in equal rights for vampires?"

Duo shifted uncomfortably. "No, that's not it. I just...it's weird. I always think of vampires as legends and scary stories...you know, Dracula and all that shit. Now they're coming out- 'integrating themselves into society.' Every convenience store and bar in the Earth Sphere sells that Synthetic Blood junk. It's just a lot to take in. Up until a few months ago I didn't even know vampires existed. In all honesty it's sort of creepy."

Wufei gave Duo a pointed look. "I've heard that Syn isn't so bad," he said in a monotone voice referring to the new Synthetic Blood vampires supposedly drank instead of human blood. The way Wufei stated this made Duo's right eye twitch nervously because the Chinese man's humor was so dry and nonexistent one was never sure if he was kidding or serious.

"Don't mess around 'Fei. Besides, since when are you so interested in vampires?" Duo wondered, rubbing at his eye.

Wufei gave a quiet shrug and returned his attention back to the late night news program.

With a sigh Duo's gaze wondered to one of the security room's elegant windows. The night was calm and he could nearly count the moon's individual rays hitting the mansion's garden walkway. He studied a grove of cherry blossom trees sadly, remembering the day he and Heero had planted them for Relena right before his Preventer partner had...disappeared.

Duo shook his head, clearing his mind of memories he was annoyed at himself for bringing up. It had been three years, plenty of time to get over it.

Duo's thoughts were interrupted as his vision picked up a movement from outside. There was a rustling in the cherry blossom trees he had earlier been admiring and squinted his eyes suspiciously. It wasn't a movement caused by a natural force, it was too perfect with no breaks, like a swift force moving between the tree's branches with a direct purpose.

Duo felt a strange tingle run through his bones and couldn't help but jump when Wufei yelled over his shoulder. "Maxwell! Schbeiker's here to cover the rest of the shift!"

The braided man took a steadying breath and turned to be met by Hilde's warm smile, but as soon as she saw his pale face her expression turned to one of worry. "Duo, are you alright?"

Duo blinked and finally focused back into reality. "What?"

"You look like you just saw a ghost," Hilde replied with a light chuckle. "You okay?"

"Oh...yeah, I'm fine Hild. Just tired I guess," he told her with a reassuring grin.

She nodded and patted his chest affectionately. "Get some sleep then. We'll hold down the fort." Her eyes twinkled and Duo gave her a casual salute before walking the small length of the room and exiting into the Peacecraft Mansion's main corridor.

He walked briskly down the hallway, his boots clipping along the tile floor echoing throughout the silent building. He wiped a bead of sweat from the nape of his neck and chastised himself for overreacting. _It's all this vampire nonsense, it's getting to my head,_ he thought angrily.

Quickly he swiped the security card hanging from a retractable lanyard around his neck and opened the mansions grand front door. A blast of warm night air hit him in the face, the fresh breeze calming his senses immediately. Duo shook his head and grinned to himself as he headed towards the Preventer dorms just off of the Peacecraft main grounds. _I'm overreacting. I just need some sleep like Hilde said._

"Duo Maxwell." His ears pricked at the low voice and he stopped in his tracks. Duo shuttered, his hand going straight to his gun only to realize that he'd left it in the security room of the Mansion. Out of boredom he'd cleaned it and then carelessly forgotten to put it back in his holster.

Within seconds his adrenaline kicked in and he'd pulled a knife from his ankle sheath and spun, his eyes wide, his body ready for attack. "Who..." he paused, his breath momentarily lost. "H-Heero...?"

Heero Yuy stood several feet from Duo's now trembling form. His skin was so ashen the moon's rays seemed to radiate off of him, creating a white aura around his features. His dark eyes sparkled ominously as he gazed at Duo, an affectionate sadness apparent in their hollow depths. "Hello Duo."

Duo's words caught in his throat as he stared open mouthed at the man before him. "W-what the hell...y-you're...supposed to be...to be...dead."

Heero frowned. "I can explain, but you need to promise me something."

Duo swallowed anxiously before answering. "W-what?"

Heero's face tightened and took in Duo's shocked appearance worriedly. "That you won't be afraid...of me."

Duo's brows furrowed as his lower lip trembled uncontrollably. "W-why would I be a-afraid of you?" His eyes traveled over the man's ghostly form as if searching for the answer there.

Heero took a step forward, his every muscle movement visible beneath his translucent appearing skin. He opened his mouth a fraction of an inch revealing a set of perfect white teeth. "Because of this." With a soft snap a set of fangs sank down where his canines were seconds before.

Without hesitation Duo's impulses took over and he ran at Heero. "No!" he yelled as his knife hand sailed into a steady arc towards the man's neck.

In one fluid motion the tables had turned. Without a drop of fear in his eyes Heero brought his fingers up faster than humanly possible and grabbed the knife's blade, the steal bending in his grip.

Before Duo could even think about what had happened he felt his whole body being wrenched around and heaved backwards. His right wrist was pulled tight against his back and an ice cold arm snaked around his neck. "I need you to be calm and rational," Heero whispered in his ear.

Duo's breathing elevated and his eyes were wide with shock. "Heero?"

"I need to tell you something. But, Duo, I need you to stay calm. Okay?" He nodded and Heero loosened his grip though Duo could tell no matter how hard he fought he would still not be able to win against this new force. He also knew exactly what Heero needed to tell him, it was frighteningly obvious, but he let his captor continue uninterrupted.

Heero's lips and fangs grazed against Duo's ear sending a shiver through both of their bodies. He closed his eyes and spoke the words he had been dreading for the past three years. "I'm a..._vampire_."

* * *

to be continued...


	3. Invite Me In

**Bite Me**

_**Chapter 2: Invite Me In**_

_AC 201. 18. June_

_0015 hours [12:15 am]_

_Earth - Sanc Kingdom_

Duo shivered against Heero's bitter cold skin. He attempted to speak but no words could find their way out of his mouth. He was in a state of complete and total shock.

Heero on the other hand felt a wave of relief fall over his body, his secret spoken to a mortal for the first time since he'd been turned. His muscles slackened and he was just about to release his grip on Duo when he sensed a movement behind them.

"Heero Yuy, turn around slowly, no sudden movements."

Heero's eyes snapped open and his lips turned upwards into a stiff smirk. He followed Hilde Schbeiker's orders and turned to face her and the forty-five millimeter she had directed at his head. He gave her a cynical grin, proudly showing his fangs before neatly retracting them with a hollow click. "That gun won't do you much good, Hilde."

She nodded and steadied her aim, adjusting her grip on the gun confidently. "I know that, but this gun is loaded special just for these sort of circumstances." Her voice was firm but bubbly as usual. She gave Heero a lopsided smile. "I don't think a vampire like yourself would enjoy a silver bullet lodged into his skin, would you?"

Heero raised his eyebrows slightly as if to say "touche." "I see that not only are our strengths advertised to the public but our weaknesses as well."

His only response was the sound of Hilde's safety being removed. "Let him go, Heero."

"Hilde-" his words were cut off by a bullet whizzing past his ear. Hilde's eyes were unyielding and Heero decided that he would have to save his words for later, knowing that most likely the next bullet wouldn't miss.

Slowly he unwound his arm from Duo's neck and liberated his now aching wrist. Duo fell forward but caught himself quickly, a haze of confusion forming in front of his eyes as he stood in silent amazement. Heero's lips formed a grim line. "I wasn't going to harm him."

Hilde let out a small sigh and nodded at the comment. "I know, Heero. I'm just...taking precautions. This is sort of a new thing we're having to deal with now."

Duo, who had been all but ignoring the whole exchange finally seemed to catch up to reality. He turned towards Heero and looked him straight in the eye, any fear of the man having vanished. "Vampires are allergic to silver?"

Heero and Hilde shared an almost friendly glance before he answered, "I suppose you could say that, yes."

The silence that consumed the three was thick and uncomfortable. Hilde held her weapon steady while Heero kept his hands up near his shoulders in peaceful, understanding surrender. The female Preventer's breathing was heavy, the shock of seeing Heero after three years _and_ as a vampire clearly getting to her, but still her gun hand never wavered. Duo studied both parties with curious eyes, the trauma finally wearing off as he came to the conclusion that Heero was obviously being targeted as the enemy in this situation.

"Hild, put your gun away." Duo's voice was serious and Hilde gave him a questioning look before lowering her gun, but not actually holstering it.

"Duo. He's a vampire, he's not the same Heero anymore. He's...he's-"

"He's what Hild?" Duo's temper flared. "He's not human? He's not one of us? How can you say he's not Heero anymore? He looks like Heero, he talks like Heero-"

"She's right, Duo," Heero intervened. "I'm not the same as I used to be. I'm a vampire now."

Duo stared at his former Preventer partner with steely, penetrating eyes that nearly made Heero flinch. "In my eyes you're still Heero Yuy. It doesn't matter to me if you have...fangs."

Heero's expression softened and the words "thank you" attacked his throat but didn't make it to his mouth.

Hilde interrupted the moment hesitantly. "Duo, we need to go back inside the Mansion now."

"Why?" Duo's eyes didn't leave Heero's as if he would lose the man again if he broke the gaze.

She shuffled uncomfortably and stepped towards Duo, placing her petite hand on his shoulder. "We just...we just do."

Finally Duo looked down at her, his face hard and his eyes glaring at her unfairly. "Heero's coming too."

"No!" Hilde's breath caught in her throat, her eyes growing wide for a fraction of a second before glistening with guilt. She couldn't help but feel threatened, everything was happening so fast. She could live with Heero reappearing into their lives, but Heero reappearing as a vampire? It scared her half to death. She may have put on the charade that she advocated vampire rights in support of Relena, but in truth she couldn't stop the negative feelings she felt towards them deep inside of her.

Her voice was shaky when she next spoke. "I'm sorry, Heero."

He shook his head softly at her. "Don't apologize. I don't want to intrude...I should go." He reached out his hand to Duo, offering the now mutilated knife back to him. Heero hesitated awkwardly. "Sorry."

Duo took the knife with a soft chuckle. "Don't worry about it, I've got lots of 'em." He paused and then screwed up his eyebrows. "By the way, how did you...how aren't you hurt?"

Heero raised his pale palm to show the nonexistent damage. "Not much can penetrate vampire skin."

Duo cleared his throat nervously and nodded studying Heero's hand before he pulled it away and turned to leave. "Wait!" Duo all but shouted, the shock of the situation filtering back to him yet again. "You can't go, Heero."

"I have to." Heero didn't turn around but his resonant voice carried easily in the night. "I'll come back...sometime."

"No!" Duo ran and grabbed the man's upper arm pleadingly. Heero's eyes flicked to his mortal captor in confusion. "Please Heero, come with us."

"I cannot intrude." Heero stated plainly in a stiff voice.

Duo grinned. "Yes you can. Intrude all you like, Heero." Now the braided man was pulling on Heero's arm, though the vampire was not about to budge and no amount of tugging was going to change that unless Heero decided to let it.

Hilde fumbled with her gun, placing it back in it's holster and walking cautiously towards the couple. "Duo...if he doesn't want to..."

"He does want to! I just have to convince him to admit it!" Duo's tone was lighthearted but determined. He panted with exertion. "Heero. Come. On."

Heero shot Hilde a look of worried amusement which made her smile unconsciously. Finally Heero gave in and let Duo move him forward a few steps. "I don't think this is a very good idea."

Duo quirked an eyebrow. "Of course it is. Why wouldn't it be?"

Heero was now allowing himself to be fully hauled towards the mansion, Hilde following behind carefully. "Duo, I'm a-"

"Yeah, yeah. You're a vampire. Got it. Check." Duo smiled to himself as they reached the Mansion's main doors. He swiped his security card and opened the large door. Both he and Hilde entered, but Heero hung back, an uneasy look in his eyes.

"Coming Heero?" Duo asked with a small twinge of fear. He'd made it this far, he wasn't going to let Heero get away now.

Heero furrowed his brows and inspected his feet which had apparently become quite interesting. His mouth opened slowly and he looked back up to the pair of concerned eyes watching him. "I can't...I can't come in...unless you..._invite me._"

Duo frowned. "What? Why?"

Heero licked his lips, ill-at-ease. "No vampire can enter a home uninvited."

"What do you mean you can't enter?" Duo took a step towards Heero, curiosity and unease blending into a singular emotion radiating off of him.

"Vampires cannot physically enter a home without being invited in." If Heero had been human an embarrassed blush would have coursed over his cheeks.

"Oh." Duo gave him an apologetic look. "Well...Heero, would you like to come inside?"

Heero's body moved with lightning quick speed as he entered the Mansion. Hilde and Duo observed him with wide eyes. The vampire blinked. "Shall we?"

With a snort of amusement Duo followed his lead and entered the grand building, guiding both Heero and Hilde towards the security room with an air of effervescent confidence.

When he opened the door he was met with Wufei's annoyed scowl and Relena Peacecraft sitting at the head of the room's small table, a pink, silk robe tucked over her shoulders, and a gold tea set sitting in front of her. She took a dainty sip from her cup and then looked up at the three with an inviting smile.

"Heero Yuy. It's been too long," she said serenely appraising the "dead-man-walking" as he moved closer to her, an almost painfully uncomfortable expression masking his features. He bowed his head in respect of his former superior. "Relena."

"Please, have a seat." Relena gestured to the chair across from her.

"I really shouldn't stay-"

"Nonsense. Have a seat. Can I pour you some tea?" Almost immediately Relena realized her mistake and gave him a contrite smile. "I'm sorry...I would offer you some of that Synthetic Blood but we simply don't have the need for it so we don't keep any in the house."

Heero shook his head self-consciously and stayed standing. "It's fine." His voice was nothing more than a whisper.

Duo shared a glance with Hilde before inquiring the question that was running through both their minds. "Princess, how did you know that Heero...well, that Heero is a-"

"A vampire?" Relena finished his sentence. "Wufei informed me when I was awakened by the gunshot."

Duo turned to give Wufei a bemused scowl. "How did you-?"

"I suppose Schbeiker's vampire paranoia is rubbing off on me. I saw her grab her gun-the one with the silver bullets-and I jumped to the conclusion that they're must be a vampire on the premises. If I was wrong I could always blame it on the insecure woman."

The braided Preventer studied Wufei carefully, a skeptical frown pulling at his lips while Hilde shot the man a menacing glare and made a move to show him just how insecure she was, but Duo held her back.

Heero cleared his throat and all at once the energy in the room was diverted back to him. "Like I said earlier, I think it would be best if I leave now."

Relena held up a slender hand. "I understand. But before you leave I would like to offer you your old job on this security team. It would be a great honor if you would accept."

Hilde gasped, not afraid to show her feelings towards this hasty proposition. "But, Relena, he's a vampire!"

Relena seemed unfazed by Hilde's outburst. "Yes, but he is also a citizen of the Earth Sphere and therefore has equal opportunity just as a mortal would. If you would like your former position I would be more than happy to grant it to you, Heero."

Heero started to answer but Relena broke in with a soft smile. "Please Heero. You don't have to answer me right away, I want you to think about it first. I understand that this is all happening fast, but I don't want to miss an opportunity to have you back." He closed his mouth and gave her an affirmative nod.

He turned, not making eye contact with his former Preventers and exited the room. Duo was the first to speak, his voice almost panicky. "I'll be right back."

Hilde grabbed his arm firmly, "Duo, I'll come with you." But he shook her off with a muttered "no" and scrambled out of the room after Heero.

Wufei plastered a fake smile onto his face and gave the distraught Hilde a sly simper. "I think that went quite well."

* * *

By the time Duo had caught up with Heero he was nearly out of breath. _Why'd he have to race outta here? Just because he has vampire speed doesn't mean he always has to use it!_

"Heero!" He called out, sliding his security card before exiting, unsure of how exactly the other man had left the Mansion without setting off the alarm. "Wait!"

Heero spun and met Duo's violet gaze, perplexed. "Why did you follow me, Duo?"

"I just...we didn't really have a chance to...say goodbye or anything."

Heero appraised him for a moment. "Hn."

Duo smiled brightly. _Good ol' Heero. I knew he was still the same._

"Well...goodbye Duo," Heero said roughly, he was about to turn around again but Duo stopped him. "How can I get in touch with you Heero?" His tone had turned to that of worry once again.

"Don't worry, Duo." Heero studied to ground beneath his feet thoughtfully, a small smile snaked onto his face. "I'll be back. I...I promise."

Duo let out a breath of relief, his own lips forming a pleased grin. He watched as Heero vanished within seconds like a flash of light and turned to walk back to the Mansion.

He didn't have time to notice the pack of wild looking creatures, teeth bared, muscles tensed for attack hiding in the grove of cherry blossom trees to his right until they were already upon him.

In seconds he was down, their canines sinking easily into his flesh, blood flowing freely, his screams muted by a strong jaw tearing at his throat. He was outnumbered five to one and no amount of struggling could remove the animals from his body.

The strange dog's black eyes were glistening cynically in the moonlight as their onslaught grew crueler and more savage. His heart fluttered painfully, a flash of terror taking over all his thoughts. Tears poured from his eyes at his last memory: Heero.

If there was a hell on earth, Duo Maxwell had found it.

* * *

to be continued...


	4. A Bloody Elixir

**Bite Me**

_**Chapter 3: A Bloody Elixir**_

_AC 201. 18. June_

_0300 hours [3:00 am]_

_Earth - Sanc Kingdom_

Duo awoke to a pain more horrendous than anything he'd ever wish upon his worst enemy. Every molecule in his body screamed in agony and his flesh and muscles felt as if they had been ripped viciously from his bones. Quickly he peeled his eyes open and gasped, choking for a breath of air.

"Duo, try not to move." Heero's voice was tense as it filtered into his mind. Slowly his vision cleared and he tried to focus on his surroundings.

"H-Heero?" Immediately Duo was met with dark, concerned eyes. "Wh-where-"

An icy cold finger hovered over Duo's trembling lips. "Explanations later. We have to work fast if you want to live."

Heero's countenance flashed with panic as he observed Duo's injuries closely. Multiple broken bones, lacerations all over his frame, fresh and dried blood covered his body so extensively his skin was barely visible beneath the scarlet.

Heero closed his eyes, his senses on overdrive. He focused hard on the problem at hand, not allowing his instincts to kick in.

Carefully he stood over the fading Duo and held his anemic looking arm inches from the man's mouth. Duo's eyes were hazy and questioning, but no words interrupted Heero's concentration. With a dull pop his fangs were at the ready.

"H-Heero...w-what are y-you d-doing...?" The dying man stuttered out, scrutinizing the fangs above him.

Heero, without hesitation, sank his fangs into his wrist immediately drawing bubbling, dark red blood from his steely veins. "Duo, you need to drink before the wound closes." His voice was menacing but serious, his own blood streaming down over his chiseled lips and chin.

Duo's pained expression was one of fear and disbelief. "N-no...I-I don't w-want...t-to be a-"

Heero held out his arm commandingly, several drops of blood spattering against Duo's face. "This won't turn you...I promise. But if you want to live you need to drink, Duo..._now_."

Without waiting for another time consuming response Heero thrust the gushing wound to Duo's mouth. For a moment the braided man sputtered, attempting to pull back but not able to find strength to resist.

Within seconds his lips were pressed firmly against Heero's cool skin, a burst of staggering adrenaline pumping through him. Duo's raw fingers wrapped around the vampire's arm swallowing the bloody elixir down with vigor.

Heero brought his other hand up to Duo's face, brushing away a strand of red tinted chestnut hair from his forehead. For a moment both men were in a world of silent tranquility that Heero hated to ruin. However, it was too risky to let a mortal take in too much of his blood, it was dangerous enough just letting him have a taste.

Gently Heero pulled his arm from Duo's passionate grasp. For a few seconds the bite marks seeped red, but soon the wound healed itself over, leaving only a small amount of excess blood on his skin.

Duo panted, licking at his crimson lips. He opened his eyes and stared at the man above him lustily. A small scratch on his left cheek began to close up and Heero smiled in relief; his blood was taking affect already.

"Heero?" Duo asked in a faint whisper, his gaze almost trance-like. "What...what happened? Where are we?"

An impulsive shiver ran through Heero as he stared at the still weak and vulnerable man before him, blood dripping off his petite chin almost provocatively.

But his focus was only corrupted for a few dangerous seconds. "Duo, you were attacked. I brought you back to my home, not far from the Preventer barracks...I just thought...it would be easier."

Duo's breathing had finally picked back up to a normal pace, any signs of his injuries slowly soaking away beneath now fully repaired skin and muscle. Heero watched as a bloody bite mark on the braided man's shin sealed up, the tissues melting together easily, not even leaving a scar.

Duo's eyes scanned the small, dark room they were occupying, his eyes finally coming to rest on Heero, wheels turning faster and faster behind the brilliant violet orbs. "Heero...you...you saved me." It wasn't a question, but rather an unflinching, almost grateful statement.

Heero opened his mouth to retort but found his thoughts sputtering, unable to backpedal fast enough. He clenched his teeth, frustrated for a moment before skirting around Duo's assertion with one of his own. "Duo, I believe your mortal health is in the utmost jeopardy."

"Really?" Duo had recovered the usual cheeky glow about his features. Cautiously he lifted his arm and flicked his fingers appraisingly. With a burst of energy he sat up and stretched the muscles that had been nearly ripped to shreds just a few short moments ago. "But I feel...I feel fucking amazing! Heero, you've cured me completely! You're blood...it healed me! Do doctors know about vampire blood? Because I really think that could be a big business-"

"Duo!" With a strong, resolute arm Heero pushed the man back down onto the small bed he was occupying. "Yes, I am aware of how valuable my blood's healing abilities are. But right now I need to you be still and _rest_."

"But Heero I feel-"

"I know you feel fine, but, Duo, please trust me...there's something bigger going on here and until we find out exactly what-or rather _who_-attacked you, I need you to _stay put_."

Heero's hand was ice cold on Duo's recently mended shoulder but for some reason the braided man felt a spark of heat transfer between their naked flesh. He nodded his consent, his lips forming an uncharacteristic, emotionless line.

For a moment Heero stared at Duo's ripped and ragged clothing and the remnants of some dried blood clinging to his creamy skin. "I'm going to contact Trowa."

Duo's expression was one of confusion. His mouth flinched as if he wished to question Heero's actions but he held back and simply nodded.

Heero's dark eyes flashed once before he turned and walked to the other side of his small, barely furnished apartment. He placed his fist next to the large communicator monitor mounted on the wall, running his other hand over his face tensely. After a moment of anxious contemplation he typed in a memorized length of digits into the monitor's keypad and waited.

Through a fizz of static a set of bottle green eyes focused on the other end of the communicator. Trowa gazed at the man before him through a thin curtain of familiar, golden bangs. "Hello Heero."

Duo, temporarily disregarding Heero's orders, sat up on his elbow curiously, though he was smart enough to hold his tongue. He furrowed his brows as he regarded the odd exchange taking place before him.

"How are you Trowa? And Quatre?" Heero wondered casually, his voice not wavering.

"We are both doing well, thank you." Trowa raised his gaze for only a moment, taking a split second glance in Duo's direction before diverting his attention back to his caller. "Heero, can I help you with anything?"

"I need you to move up Quatre's meeting with the Vice Foreign Minister...I-I need your help," Heero answered, an obvious edge in his tone. Even if he was immortal now he was still the pridefully, stubborn Heero Yuy he'd always been.

Trowa's expression didn't falter. "Is everything alright, Heero?"

"Duo's been attacked." The men shared an intense gaze and Trowa nodded once in grave understanding.

"Affirmative. We'll be there as soon as possible." Within seconds Trowa's nearly sympathetic face was gone and replaced with a pitch black screen. Heero turned around only to give Duo a chastising look causing the braided man to lay back down immediately.

Slowly and cautiously he opened his mouth wiping a bit of blood from his lips before speaking. "How long has he known?"

Heero all but flinched at Duo's unexpected question. "What?"

Duo dodged Heero's burning eyes and looked past him at the blank monitor. "How long has Trowa known about you...about you being a vampire?"

The silence was painful and Duo almost regretted his query until Heero actually decided to answer. "About a year and a half."

Steadily Duo's temper began to rise. "Why? Why did he get the...the sneak preview? What about me?"

Heero's glare shot through Duo's exterior like the razor sharp teeth of his attackers. "It has nothing to do with you, Duo. I didn't plan on revealing this to anyone! It was pure happenstance and the only reason it was with Trowa is because we both know what it feels like..." For a moment Duo thought he wasn't going to finish his fiery sentence, but Heero continued. "What it feels like...to have a secret. A secret so important that no one can know about it." He shook his head sadly, his eyes clenching shut as if he was embarrassed to show Duo his emotions. "It's different now. Vampire rights and human tolerance have changed things."

Duo raised his eyebrows in bemused surprise. "Trowa's a vampire?"

"No!" Heero held up his hand firmly. "No."

"Then what, Heero? What was his secret?" Duo's obstinate nature was showing it's annoyingly adamant side at the worst time.

Heero brushed his fingers along his temple in irritation. "You'll find out soon enough, Duo."

He brushed the displeasure in Heero's words off easily. "Can I ask you something?"

Heero's attention shifted so that he was looking at him out of the corner of his narrowed eyes. "It depends." His voice was soft but unforgiving.

Unruffled, Duo moved in with his question easily. "What will your blood do to a human like me? I mean are there any side effects that go along with the healing? If it won't turn me...then...what?"

The muscles in Heero's neck tensed for a moment before he rolled his shoulders uneasily and slumped into a barren looking kitchen chair facing Duo with a serious expression.

"My blood," he began slowly, "is extremely potent."

Duo lifted his head slightly, twisting so that he had a better position to view Heero from. He nodded his head in understanding, flicking a few blood stained bangs from his forehead and made a gesture with his long fingers for the man to continue.

"It will only stay in your system for a short time, maybe a day or two. While it is circulating in you your senses will be heightened to an extreme," he paused and blinked once. "This includes your...libido."

Duo couldn't fight the hot blush that fell over his cheeks. He swallowed, trying to hide his obvious embarrassment silently.

Heero, ignoring Duo's agitation, clenched his fists, his eyes glowing with a multitude of thoughts and obvious discomfort at his next words. "As well...because you have consumed my blood I will be able to...feel you..._sense_ you more easily."

Duo was taken aback, not having expected such a peculiar side effect. He screwed up his eyes in bewilderment and stared at Heero's unflinching body for a silent moment. "You mean...you'll be able to track me now?"

Heero met his gaze sharply. "Yes, in a manner of speaking, I will be able to 'track you,' Duo."

The braided man stared at him unsurely, a mix of discomfort and fear brewing in his tense stomach. But before Duo could try to form a somewhat coherent response Heero's vision flicked to a digital clock sitting on the bedside table.

His voice sounded strained. "The Winner's Earth Estate is not far from the Sanc Kingdom. Trowa and Quatre should be here by dawn. Right now you are not presentable."

Duo looked down at his ripped clothing and scarlet stained body. Heero's words were curt but extremely true. He cleared his throat. "Yeah."

"Bathroom's down the hall. Everything you need should be there." Heero waved his pale fingers towards a small corridor.

Almost without thinking Duo raised his body up and trudged towards the small bathroom, his muscles moving smoothly along with him. The room was small and not elegant in any sort but it was nicer than the Preventer dorm's facilities so it was rather luxurious in Duo's mind.

Closing the door he found no lock. He stared at the doorknob for a moment anxiously before shaking his head at himself with a smirk.

Tattered clothing discarded on the floor, Duo stepped under the warm spray of the shower. His muscles nearly melted beneath the hot droplets as he watched as the water pooling beneath his feet turned to a crystalline crimson. Slowly he unfurled his braid running fingers through his hair and then scrubbing at the dried blood on his face.

After several more moments of steamy relaxation Duo turned off the water and grabbed a fresh towel from a metal rack on the wall next to him. While drying his body he wondered if vampires even needed to shower considering they were technically..._dead_.

A quick knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. Before he could answer, the door was cracked open and an ashen hand appeared, a Preventer uniform clutched in its fingers.

Duo wrapped the towel around himself more securely, a flush running over his body. "Heero!"

"I brought you some new clothing."

Duo quickly took the uniform from Heero, the door shutting almost immediately after. He studied the clothing, they were his own. "Hey, Heero? How did you-"

"I went to your dorm." Heero's muffled voice explained simply. There was an uneasy pause and then Heero adjusted his words: "I broke into your dorm."

"What the hell, Heero!" Duo yelled out, dressing as fast as he could just in case the other man decided to invade on his personal privacy again.

"Don't worry," Heero said in his usual monotone, "I locked the door when I left."

Duo rolled his eyes, pulling on his Preventer jacket with ease. "Gee, thanks."

Heero's voice was uncomfortable through the door. "I was just trying to be helpful."

A smile seeped onto Duo's face as he swiftly began to braid his damp hair. He opened the door to face Heero. "I know. Thanks."

The vampire's eyes stared down at the floor. "It's almost dawn. You should go."

Duo walked into the apartment's main room still fumbling with his hair and took a seat on the bed once again, nervously tapping his booted toe to the floor. "Wait. Aren't you coming with me? I thought you needed to talk to Trowa?"

Heero leaned against the wall next to him, staring at nothing in particular. "_You_ need to talk to Trowa."

"But, Heero..." Duo tied off the end of his braid and allowed his fingers to tighten into fists at his sides. "I want you there."

"I'm sorry. I can't..." Heero's voice quivered with shame. "Vampires can't go out in the sun."

Duo raised his head to stare at the other man with sad, regretful eyes. "Oh."

Heero's tone was depressed but unforgiving. "You need to go now, Duo. I will try to see you and the others tonight."

With a nod Duo walked to the front door steadily. "See you, Heero...and thanks...for everything," he whispered before disappearing into the hallway, closing the door behind him without anymore hesitation.

Heero watched his retreat, pounding his fist into the wall behind him, disgusted at himself. He closed his eyes and pictured Duo's violet ones in his mind easily.

"You're welcome, Duo."

* * *

to be continued...


	5. Hound's Outta the Bag

**Bite Me**

_**Chapter 4: Hound's Outta the Bag**_

_AC 201. 18. June_

_0515 hours [5:15 am]_

_Earth - Sanc Kingdom_

Trowa Barton stood at one of the Peacecraft Mansion's immense front windows watching as grapefruit rays of the rising sun peaked over the Sanc Kingdom's vast jurisdiction.

"Do you think he's been infected, Trowa?" Asked a soft, concerned voice from behind him. He turned his head to glance over his shoulder affectionately at the petite blond man.

"I'm not sure, Quatre. But Heero seemed uncharacteristically desperate," Trowa replied evenly, leaning against the window's sill.

Quatre stepped closer to him and placed a calming hand on top of his. "Whatever it is I'm sure he can handle it...Duo has a way of making the most of a bad situation."

Trowa nodded, a hint of nostalgic remembrance of their braided comrade glowing in his eyes for a moment before his vision snapped instinctively to the Mansion's barren front walkway. "He's almost here."

Quatre's slim fingers curled around Trowa's comfortingly, his thumb sweeping against the man's skin simply confirming his supportive presence. "Everything happens for a reason, good or bad. Remember that."

Trowa returned his grip in silent recognition. However, the closer Duo's steps came the more uneasy he felt about the impending situation.

* * *

As Duo sauntered up the Peacecraft Mansion's marble steps his heart began to pound uncontrollably. He reached a shaky hand to his chest, searching for a security card that wasn't there.

"Shit," he muttered under nervous breath looking down to see no lanyard hanging around his neck. The card must have been lost when he was attacked.

Duo stood for a moment staring at the door in front of him with piercing eyes. Finally he gave in and pounded on the wood with his fist, more annoyed than anxious now.

To his surprise the door was opened relatively fast as if the person opening it had known he was there already. Trowa's expressionless face appeared before him and the hairs on Duo's neck stood on end. He felt an instinctive growl form in the back of his throat and his eyes widened in shock. With a quick gulp he crushed the sound down and took an assertive step forward.

Trowa followed the braided man with intense eyes, unable to ignore the knowing tremble in his gut. Duo had been infected, one hundred percent.

"Duo Maxwell, it's wonderful to see you." Quatre's inviting voice and friendly, informal hug broke both men from the animalistic daze they had been under.

With a smile Duo returned the genial affection. "Good to see you too Quat. How long's it been? Two, three months?"

"Two or three months too long," Quatre replied, breaking the embrace, his crystalline eyes shining as he appraised the man before him. He shared a quick, almost concerned glance with Trowa before returning his attention the Preventer.

Trowa stood with clenched fists observing the two men wordlessly. He surveyed Duo through narrowed eyes. No signs of injury, obviously due to Heero, but there were other signs. His movements were swift, but instinctive, his mind following his muscles rather than the opposite.

He watched as Duo laid a hand on Quatre's shoulder and Trowa couldn't hold back his biting tone any longer. "Quatre, Duo and I need to speak. Alone, please."

Duo flinched, lowering his hand and facing Trowa with an almost timid expression, while Quatre simply nodded and smiled reassuringly before exiting down a corridor towards the Mansion's library.

"Trowa?" Duo had gone from assertive to anxious again.

Trowa gave him an almost condescending look before raising his hand and giving Duo a "come hither" gesture that made his stomach flip.

His feet moved without thought and Duo bit his lip as he followed Trowa into a small sitting room off the main foyer. "Tro, please tell me what the hell is going on-"

"That is my plan," Trowa answered firmly. He gestured to a leather armchair. "Sit."

Obediently Duo followed the order and sat facing an identical chair where Trowa seated himself. Duo squinted his eyes, scrutinizing the man before him, unsure of why his actions were all now ruled by his words. "Trowa..." His voice was deep and irritated.

Trowa held up a slim, steady hand. "Please, Duo, listen to me."

Biting his tongue, Duo decided it best to heed the man's words and he sat back in the chair, crossing his arms childishly and waved his fingers as if to say "go on then."

Trowa took a deep breath and stared straight into the braided man's violet eyes. "Duo, you've been infected with a virus known as the L5-B strain. It originated several years ago on the rebel colony L5-A0207 just before a more well know strain was developed, L5-C, the strain that causes vampirism. L5-B is a defective form of L5-C...instead of causing one to become a vampire, it turns it's victims into...shape-shifters."

Duo's right eye twitched once, he opened his mouth, closed it, and then opened it again a small gasping noise coming from his throat. "I'm sorry...what was that?"

Calmly Trowa responded. "Duo, your blood has been infected with L5-B. You are becoming a shape-shifter."

Slowly Duo sat forward in his chair setting his elbows on his knees then intertwining his fingers and resting his mouth against them, staring at Trowa with a hard gaze. "Mmhmm." He paused, thinking, then bent his head forward and placed his hands behind his neck. "As if my life could get any weirder," he muttered, his voice higher pitched than usual, his breathing becoming erratic.

Trowa watched his friend's reaction with concern. _At least he's accepted it...I think._ Slowly he reached his hand toward Duo's shoulder, trying to comfort him, but it certainly wasn't something he was used to or at all good at. This was Quatre's department.

"Duo, I know it's hard, but really it's not as bad as it sounds," he explained cooly. "I've been living peacefully and comfortably for the past two years and the few who know about it certainly don't judge or look at me any differently because of it."

Duo jerked his head up and shot Trowa with a questioning look. "Wait. Trowa...you're a...shape-shifter?"

He nodded evenly in response. "Yes, I am."

Duo stared at him in amazement. He cleared his throat. "So...you can turn into something?"

"Yes," Trowa answered, unafraid to admit his infection to a fellow L5-B carrier. "I shift into a hound, like many other shifters. It is the most common form of the strain."

Duo glanced down at himself raising his brows. "So I'm-"

"It all depends on what attacked you, Duo." Came the answer to his unfinished query.

Duo clenched his fists in remembrance. "I was jumped by dogs, big dogs, a helluva lot of 'em. They knew what they were doing too...all organized and shit. They had me down and out in a minute or less. Would've killed me if it wasn't for Heero."

"We think," Trowa interrupted. "We can't be sure they were going to kill you."

Duo frowned. "Yeah. I guess. Sure seemed like they were out for my blood though."

A grin grazed Trowa's lips and Duo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Irony. I got it, Tro. Now can we get back to this...shape-shifter thing? When were you...er...infected?"

Trowa sighed uncomfortably, but answered the question anyways. "When I was bitten, I didn't think much of it. I wasn't attacked like you and it wasn't a sickly looking dog, it was just a nip, barely drew blood. I just cleaned it up a little...and forgot about it."

Duo gave him an incredulous look, his mouth opening and closing a few times before he found the right words. "Are you crazy? What if it had rabies or somthin'? What is it with you and hospitals? I can almost understand during the war, but now? It's not like they're run by OZ anymore! Do you have a phobia of sterile, white buildings...or is it needles? I bet it's needles, isn't it?"

Duo's long winded rant left Trowa with a smirk on his usually stoic face. "I'm not afraid of needles, Duo. I just didn't think it was anything to fuss over. Besides I felt fine afterwards."

This time there was another even more incredulous look from Duo. "You felt fine." He paused and screwed up his eyebrows. "You're...you're a fuckin' werewolf for cripes sake! How is that 'fine?'"

"Technically we're called shape-shifters, Duo."

Duo sighed and looked down at his twiddling thumbs. He began to mumble something to the effect of, "what the hell do I care?" when Trowa interrupted him with a scowl.

"You should care, Duo. Obviously you're one of us now and so far there's no cure so you're going to be staying a shape-shifter for as long as you manage to stay alive." Duo didn't care to respond to the explanation of his new found existence, so Trowa tried another direction. "The pack who attacked you, by what you have told me, must have been Zechs'-I mean Milliardo's-hounds."

At this the braided man regained consciousness in the conversation. "Milliardo? As in...Milliardo Peacecraft?" His violet eyes grew wide with curiosity and surprise.

"Yes." Trowa gave him a look that simply said "how could you not know" and went on. "Milliardo Peacecraft was one of the first to be infected with the L5-B strain. Because of his power, money, and notoriety he became an important figurehead for many shape-shifters. Like most of us, being infected wasn't his choice, but he easily learned to like it with the new fame and leadership it has given him."

Duo shook his head and shut his eyes tight. "This is a lot to take in, Tro."

"I understand," Trowa said, his monotone voice sounding almost compassionate to his newfound "brother" of sorts. "But it really is better to jump in head first and be knowledgeable about what has happened to you. If you were to be attacked again and your powers were useless to you, you would be in an even more vulnerable position than you were when you were human. Plus, Duo, Heero might not always be there to protect you."

Duo's mouth turned downwards into an uncomfortable frown. "Why do you think I'll be attacked again, Tro?"

Trowa thought for a moment before answering. "Milliardo sent his personal hounds on you. He doesn't do that for very many people. Actually you're one of the first I'd say. I've had run-ins with them, but obviously not because they wanted to infect me."

Duo glanced up, Trowa's eyes held a far away look. "Why do you think _you_ were bitten, Tro?"

The man shrugged, "Fate?"

Duo chuckled softly. "Didn't think you believed in that sorta stuff."

Trowa's lips trembled into a soft grin. "Well, sometimes, after a while, you have to start believing in _something_."

Duo glanced at the man with a new respect in his eyes. "So, Trowa...what exactly does being a shape-shifter entail?" he wondered, having comfortably acknowledged the situation and instead of dwelling on the craziness of his predicament was following Trowa's earlier advice and going at it headlong.

"Well since you were bitten by hounds you yourself will only be able to shift into a hound. That's the same shift as me so hopefully I'll be able to teach you how to deal with it rather smoothly," Trowa answered.

"Uh huh." Duo nodded before furrowing his brows. "So there are other types of shape-shifters?"

Trowa paused for a moment, choosing his words thoughtfully. "Most shifters don't choose their animal. Whoever, or rather _whatever_, they were bitten by ends up being what they shift to. It's as simple as that," he explained, unfazed by Duo's eye roll.

"Yeah, I guess that's pretty simple," he smirked mockingly. "But what do you mean by 'most shifters?'"

Trowa blinked. "Well, if a shifter's sire was a needle he or she was able to choose their animal. However, the originally infected shifters are almost impossible to track because of the immense numbers of new shifters nowadays."

"Oh," was all Duo could come up with in response. "So...when you shift...what does it feel like?"

"For every person it's different, or so I've been told," Trowa began. "For me, when I shift I get a sparking sensation, almost burning, just underneath my skin, but when I finally make the shift it's like I've been doused with ice water. It was a strange feeling the first time, but now I'm so used to it so I barely pay attention anymore. However, like I said, every shifter is different, not even their animals are alike. We both may be hounds, but we won't look alike. When a human is infected with L5-B the virus combines with the person's DNA, so naturally your shift will share a likeness with your human form."

Duo raised his eyebrows in appreciation for Trowa's lengthy explanation. "No shit? So even as a dog I'll keep my good looks?" A dark, amused smirk wrapped his features.

Trowa stared at the cocky, braided man before him with a sigh. Duo had taken the news of his infection surprisingly well, but the veteran shape-shifter knew the next step would be much harder; making his first shift.

* * *

to be continued...

* * *

**A/N:** Please take the time to go to my account page and vote on a poll regarding this story! It would help me out so so much! Thank you!


	6. Therianthropy & Unintentional Desires

**Bite Me**

_**Chapter 5: Therianthropy & Unintentional Desires**_

_AC 201. 18. June_

_1500 hours [3:00 pm]_

_Space - Somewhere between Earth and colony L5-A0207_

Milliardo Peacecraft sat restlessly aboard the spacecraft, his head bowed, studying the small security card in his hand with a muddled gaze. He stared at the picture of a braided man he once knew, now older, but still retaining a familiar, mischievous glow within his violet eyes.

"Sir?" The voice was resonant with confidence but held a submissive undertone. Milliardo lifted his head, a somewhat foreboding shadow masking the majority of his features. "I just wanted to inform you that we have received word that Duo Maxwell is alive and infected."

Milliardo stared at the young man before him, his next in command, head of his security and a dangerously impulsive shifter. He brought his fingers to his temples and closing his eyes began to laugh quietly to himself, almost enjoying the oxymoronic irony of what had just been said to him.

Abruptly he stopped and glared up at the man with piercing silver-blue eyes. "Sit," he commanded shortly. The man followed the order without hesitation, taking a seat in the chair facing his employer.

Milliardo's eyes appraised the man, a fair amount of injuries clearly evident on his skin. "Were you attacked, Cyrus?"

Cyrus narrowed his eyes. "Vampire," he spit out, fuming.

His superior nodded, no sympathy in his expression. "Heero Yuy. The obvious cause of Maxwell's healing."

Cyrus clenched his fists. "The blood sucking bastard nearly killed us all."

"And you nearly killed Duo Maxwell. An eye for an eye." Milliardo gave no hint of compassion towards his subordinate, though his whole body was tense due to the path the conversation had taken. He had known of Heero's L5-C infection for several months due to Treize, but now that he was out in the open, around mortals, around Relena...it sent a shiver through his bones. He decided to change the subject.

"Why did you choose to infect this man, Cyrus?" Milliardo asked with a steely tone, gesturing to Duo's grainy security photo.

Taken aback Cyrus squirmed uneasily, not able to make eye contact. "Well, sir...we felt it the easiest way to go about our task."

Milliardo held up the small rectangle of valuable plastic in his hand. "Retrieving a small keycard called for an unfair, deadly attack on a nearly defenseless man?"

Cyrus shook his head. "But Duo Maxwell isn't dead!"

Milliardo's fist slammed down onto his armrest powerfully, his eyes narrowing in anger. "He may not be dead, but he is now infected with an incurable virus that he did not consent to having put in his body."

"Sir," Cyrus began timidly. "We acquired the security card. You didn't give us specifics on how to go about achieving that task."

Milliardo ground his teeth. "I thought you would be able to use what little common sense you possess, Cyrus. It was far from necessary to maul and infect Duo Maxwell."

"But, sir-"

Milliardo held up his hand to stop another useless rant from Cyrus. "What's done is done. We can't change what has happened we can only move forward. Treize will get his precious security card and Relena will be safe."

Cyrus averted his eyes to the floor of the spacecraft uncomfortably. "Why does Treize want access to the Mansion anyways?" he muttered.

Milliardo shook his head. "It's not any of our business. All I know is that Quatre Winner and his personal body guard are staying at the Mansion for several days to visit Relena and her staff."

Cyrus furrowed his brows. "But Mr. Winner is there now-"

"He may have changed his schedule. We retrieved the security card, our part is done, Relena will be granted immunity. The rest is for Treize to worry about." He watched as Cyrus began to open his mouth for another question, but Milliardo waved his willowy fingers tiredly. "You are dismissed Cyrus."

The man sighed in slight annoyance, but obeyed the order and left his superior to his own thoughts.

Milliardo stared at the keycard in his hand with pained eyes. _Treize, you've been in hiding for so long, but now it is safe to reveal yourself. This is a time of peace and tolerance, I'm sure you're just craving to wreak havoc and destroy that. Well...now you'll have the spark that you needed._

* * *

_1950 hours [7:50 pm]_

_Earth - Sanc Kingdom_

Trowa walked briskly towards Relena Peacecraft's office, his eyes calm, his muscles tense.

Hilde Schbieker held her ground as he closed the gap between them. The two body guards stared at each other for a moment, neither making the first move, neither wanting to converse with each other for one reason or another.

Trowa quirked an eyebrow as her fingers grazed her gun holster. "I have just as much right to be here as you. After all I am Quatre's personal guard and he is inside that office as well."

Hilde sighed in acknowledgment, but didn't budge. "They're holding a strictly private meeting, Trowa."

"I have important business with the Vice Foreign Minister regarding one of her other guards." Trowa took another step closer to the woman in front of him, as if to prove his determination.

Hilde's expression melted to one of concern. "Is Duo alright?"

"He is fine. May I enter now?" Trowa answered with a slight tone of impatient annoyance.

Her eyes held a faraway look. "Well..."

Without hesitation Trowa pushed past her gently and with a quick knock opened the door to Relena's office.

Both parties looked up in mild surprise when he entered, closing the door quietly behind him. "Sorry to disturb you."

Relena gave him a kind smile. "Don't apologize. We were just catching up."

Quatre, though his expression cheerful like that of Relena's, had an anxious gleam in his pale blue eyes. "Trowa?"

The body guard gave Quatre a reassuring glance before returning his attention back to Relena. "I don't wish to inconvenience you, but may I have permission to use your back courtyard for a bit of...field training with one of your guards, Duo Maxwell."

Relena shared a small look with Quatre before answering. "Of course, Trowa. You and Quatre are guests in my home and so of course you are granted a full run of the grounds. But may I ask...what kind of field training?"

Trowa cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Well, Miss, Duo was attacked last night."

Relena narrowed her eyes and stared at the door just past Trowa with a grim smile. "Yes, Quatre informed me of this. But he has recovered, correct?"

"Yes." Trowa answered. "He has recovered to the fullest extent. However...he was bitten by...by hounds carrying the L5-B virus."

Relena met his eyes this time and nodded. "Therianthropy*. Quatre has informed me about that as well." She sighed and before Trowa could say another word she broke her gaze. "Please, don't let me bother you with any other questions. Just...take care of Duo please. I would hate to have harm come to my guard and dear friend."

"Yes, ma'am," Trowa replied with a casual salute. He gave Quatre an affectionate nod and exited the room, his eyes still calm, his muscles still tense.

* * *

"Strip."

Duo stared at the man, his mouth hanging open a fraction of an inch in disbelief. "Come again?"

"Strip," Trowa repeated, his eyes and tone steely and completely serious.

"Out here!" Duo gestured to the open courtyard and then rested his gaze on the man before him. "In front of you!"

Trowa blinked once. "Is there a problem?"

Duo narrowed his eyes to tiny slits and glared at Trowa with an incredulous scowl. "No. No problem at all, Tro," he answered, sarcasm dripping from his lips.

"If you're that worried about it you can use this to cover up." Trowa tossed him a bath towel with the Peacecraft crest embroidered at the bottom.

Duo caught it with one hand and studied the towel, a slight blush creeping onto his cheeks. "Why do I have to be..." he cleared his throat. "...naked?"

"Hounds don't wear clothing, do they Duo?" Trowa answered, his tone mocking.

Duo's mouth twitched into a snarl. "Fine!" he growled, trudging over to a thicket of hydrangea bushes, the only perceivable cover in the near area. A string of muttered curses followed his every footstep.

Trowa waited patiently for his student to return, towel clad and face red from either embarrassment or anger. "Very well, let's begin," he said once Duo seemed mildly ready to participate.

"First, close your eyes, Duo. The more distractions the harder your shift will be." Duo obeyed, feeling his other four sense open up further as was common when one was taken away.

Trowa moved closer to the braided man, standing mere inches from him. "You need to relax and let your instincts take over. Think about your shift and the animal residing within you."

Duo tried to unwind and focus, but for some reason his mind was suddenly on overdrive. He took in a deep breath, the smell of sandalwood filling his nostrils provocatively. He felt his body de-stress and he took another breath. For a moment his mind was in limbo as his senses tingled.

"Duo?" Trowa's voice lingered for a moment before trickling into his mind. Duo felt a quiver run under his skin and for a moment thought his shift was going to begin, but then, with a burst of understanding he realized it was a different sort of shiver.

In a flash his eyes flew open staring wide at the man inches from him. "I-I can't do this!"

His palms began to sweat and he backed up, away from Trowa, clutching at the towel wrapped flimsily around his waist awkwardly. He sucked in a deep breath and remembered what Heero had said about vampire blood affecting one's...desire.

"Duo, what's wrong? What happened?" Trowa's face held only concern, any amusement about the odd situation gone, only replaced with seriousness.

For a moment Duo sobered, remembering the other party before him. He stared at Trowa warily for a moment before answering. "I-I'm fine. Just...I think I need a little more...space to work in."

Trowa nodded, backing up a step and holding out his hands peacefully. "That's fine." He paused for a moment waiting, then prompted: "Would you like to try again, Duo?"

The flustered man gave Trowa a crooked smile, wiping a bead of perspiration from his neck then shook his head to clear his mind. He took one more steadying breath before allowing his muscles to slacken and his eyes to shut again.

"Focus on your instincts," Trowa instructed calmly, watching the man with uneasy eyes.

Duo rolled his shoulders and concentrated on the new feelings running through his body. He had barely noticed the new, impulsive shocks running through his veins until now. Slowly he thought about his shift...a hound of sorts, he wasn't all that sure exactly what to think about or to expect, but as soon as his instincts took over his body merely followed at it's own volition.

Similar to what Trowa had said a deep, fiery sensation grew within Duo's muscles and needles pricked at the underside of his skin. He clenched his eyes tight as the burning grew more unbearable, but, just as he was about to open them his mind became completely blank and with a shock of white behind his eyelids he felt his body lift and phase into a completely different being.

* * *

Heero's eyes flashed open with a shock, though he didn't require the act of breathing, his mouth still hung in a gasping frown.

He brought his wrist up to look at his watch, there was still twenty minutes till sundown. Heero's fist collided with the top of his industrial coffin's lid, causing a loud vibration throughout the whole structure. Something was happening with Duo, something different, he could feel it...and he couldn't leave this damned coffin for another twenty minutes!

He flushed his mind, concentrating on the many feelings running through his heartless, motionless body. Duo didn't seem to be in any grave harm, he simply gave off a more...animalistic electricity.

His fist connected with the surface inches above him again. Trowa must have started already. Training Duo Maxwell was a sight Heero longed to see in person.

With a silent smirk Heero closed his eyes; twenty minutes wasn't that long to wait...especially for an immortal who had the rest of eternity to look forward to.

At exactly 8:57 pm his eyes opened again, his vampire intuition telling him that the sun was finally hidden and the moon was finally up, signifying the start of his day. With a surge of speed he clicked open the interior lock of his coffin and threw open the cover.

Hesitantly he pulled at the blackout curtains over a small window in his bedroom of sorts. He smiled briefly to himself, the sun was down and it was time to visit the Peacecraft Mansion.

Heero's movements were swift as he made his way out of his apartment and down to the street in seconds. For an ordinary human it would have taken at least ten minutes to walk the several blocks to the Peacecraft grounds, but for him it was a quick trip.

Heero stopped at the bottom of the Mansion's front steps. He hadn't quite thought out his next move. He could just knock on the door, but for some reason that seemed too...intrusive.

He narrowed his eyes, a feeling of anxiety running through his thoughts. Slowly he turned to face a garden walkway that wrapped around to the back of the Mansion. His sensitive hearing picked up a set of wild footsteps coming towards where he was standing.

Before he could comprehend what was happening a set of strong paws hit him in the chest, sending him flying backwards onto the ground with a hollow thud. Heero glared up at the violet eyes and grinning snout of the large, chestnut colored hound atop him.

Heero's eyes burned and his mouth curled into a snarl. "Duo Maxwell! Get off of me!"

* * *

to be continued...

* * *

*Therianthropy: the metamorphosis of humans into other animals by "shifting." [source: Wikipedia]

* * *

**A/N:** Please take the time to go to my account page and vote on a poll regarding this story! It would help me out so so much! Thank you!

As well, classes are starting up soon and i'm moving on Thursday so updates may not come as fast...but please bare with me! Thanks guys!


	7. A Maker's Desire

**Bite Me**

**_Chapter 6: A Maker's Desire_**

_AC 201. 18. June_

_2100 hours [9:00 pm]_

_Earth - Sanc Kingdom  
_

Duo's tail wagged furiously as the vampire beneath him flexed his muscles. With strong, yet gentle hands Heero gripped the dog's forearms and lifted him back and off of his body.

"I see you've mastered this quite well," Heero muttered sitting up and observing the hound as he shifted from paw to paw happily. The animal was definitely still the overactive Duo he knew despite the new outer shell.

A slim figure appeared around the corner of the mansion, walking towards them shaking his head. "He's far from a seasoned shifter, Heero."

Heero shared an understanding look with Trowa before responding. "So...how did it go?"

"Why don't you let him tell you himself." Trowa tossed the towel Duo had previously been using on top of the hounds back casually. If one looked close they might have seen Duo's violet eyes roll towards the night sky in annoyance before closing in concentration.

Duo had never asked how to change back into his human form, but for some reason his instincts seemed to know exactly what to do. The same burning tingle he felt before he changed accosted his body again and suddenly he felt his muscles and bones morphing upwards.

For a split second there was a flash of milky white skin, but Duo's total state of undress was covered quickly by the towel Trowa had given him. Heero unclenched his fists as he stared at the bare chested man before him, a film of sheer sweat clinging to his carefully sculpted, slender muscles. He imagined a rush of heat run through his body...he barely remembered the sensation from when he was human, but he did remember it enough to know that he liked it.

Heero brought his fingers up to his forehead to brush away a few bangs from his face, his skin still cold and dead as ever. "Duo," he nodded, as if another greeting was in order for his human form.

"Heya Heero." Duo's grin was lopsided and his breath slightly ragged from his shift. "Pretty cool shit, huh?"

Heero quirked an eyebrow curiously, almost offended by Duo's crude way of putting things, but slowly becoming used to his unruly mouth just as he had been several years before. He stood and turned his attention towards the tall man on Duo's left. "I trust everything went smoothly?"

Trowa nodded, looking down at the vampire through his golden bangs, his eyes holding a glimpse of hesitation. "Most everything, yes. There were some...complications at first. But it was to be expected. The first shift is the most difficult."

Trowa carefully skirted around Duo's anxiety filled breakdown and the telltale blush of involuntary lust he had seen underneath his skin. He was not a stranger to what vampire blood did to mortals, shape-shifter or not.

Heero furrowed his brows and studied Trowa's impassive features. "Yes...well as long as he is safe."

Trowa glanced quickly at the braided subject before returning his gaze back to Heero's stony eyes. "Relatively. Especially under _your_ care."

"Hn." Heero could tell Trowa was hiding something...something not necessary for him to know, but something he would appreciate hearing. His mouth curled into a territorial snarl as the lean shifter's eyes traveled casually back to Duo's bare chest and then down to the ground almost embarrassedly.

Duo, having been only momentarily ignored, cleared his throat with a peculiar expression. "So...I'm just gonna get dressed now."

Trowa kept his gaze downwards while Heero kept his own eyes on Trowa. Both nodded carelessly and Duo rolled his eyes with a nervous laugh. With a light jog he made his way to the back of the Mansion; this took him much longer than it did when he was in his hound form which made him want to shift again but his energy was diminishing fast.

_Could shifting become addictive?_ Duo wondered as he pulled on his uniform in the cover of the hydrangea bush he'd used earlier. It was another question he'd have to remember to ask Trowa later.

Duo twisted his back and stretched his arms over the top of his head, cracking his neck while he was at it. Shifting was a sensation he very much enjoyed, but it was obvious that taking care of his body was going to be put at the top of his list from now on.

"Duo." Heero's voice was soft but still made Duo nearly jump out if his skin.

"Heero! Don't sneak up on me like that! Are you fu-" Duo nearly bit his tongue. Cussing might be another thing he could work on. "Are you crazy?" He turned and embedded a hard glare into Heero's deep blue eyes.

"Forgive me." Heero's tone was truly apologetic though his eyes were devoid of emotion.

Duo sighed and slumped his shoulders. "It's okay...was there...was there something you wanted, Heero?"

Heero pursed his ashen lips. "I think you should...stay with me tonight. You must be exhausted, despite my blood's energy...you haven't slept for almost two days."

Duo's forehead wrinkled. "And you think I'll be safer with you, right?"

Heero shifted looking slightly uncomfortable. "Well...yes."

To Heero's great surprise, Duo grinned and laid a friendly hand on his shoulder. "Alright. Besides I've always wanted to spend the night with a vampire...one more thing to cross off my bucket list," he said with a sarcastic smirk.

Flustered, Heero nodded and removed Duo's warm fingers from his shoulder. "Very well." He walked away just above a normal human pace.

Duo went after him, slower as to be expected. "Heero I was just kidding-!" With a frustrated sigh, he squinted and started to run after the vampire, a fleeting feeling running through his bones. He hoped it was just fatigue, but for some reason he knew that was bull shit...crap...whatever.

* * *

Duo dropped his duffle bag unceremoniously to the right of Heero's front door, not finding much furniture in the dull and small apartment suitable to hold his personal items.

"Trowa didn't seem too keen on me staying here," he muttered, trying to allow his ill feelings associated with the space to leave his mind.

A breeze rushed past him as Heero entered, stopping in front of Duo abruptly. "He knows you are safe here."

Duo narrowed his eyes, but before he could question Heero's obvious hostility towards Trowa his thoughts were interrupted.

"Sit down," Heero all but ordered. "I don't have much in the way of food. I could make some tea."

Duo took a seat at the small kitchen table and twiddled his fingers nervously. "Fine."

He watched as Heero placed a dusty looking kettle on the stove and retrieved a mug from a near empty cabinet. He hesitated for a moment before opening his refrigerator and grabbing a stubby glass bottle from it's chilly depths.

Duo glanced from the red tinted bottle of Syn to Heero and back to to the blood substitute. Heero followed his wondering gaze. "I need to keep up my strength, Duo. If you are attacked again-"

"Why is it that every goddammed person around here thinks i'm gonna be attacked again!" Duo fumed, his fingers curling into shaking fists.

Heero locked eyes with him, his face the epitome of seriousness. "I am just trying to keep you safe, Duo. Trowa informed me that it was Milliardo's hounds who attacked you...he is an associate with Treize Kushrenada...which doesn't sit well with me."

Duo watched Heero cautiously. The vampire placed his Syn in a microwave sitting on the counter looking much more modern than anything else in the apartment aside from his communicator.

He almost asked the obvious question of why Heero would want his blood warm, but then self-consciously bit his tongue. For a moment he thought about what he'd been told told about Milliardo's hounds and then furrowed his brows. "Wait...Treize Kushrenada? He's supposed to be dead. Wufei-"

"Did not kill Treize." Heero retrieved his drink and the mug of tea and sat down across from Duo. "Treize Kushrenada is not dead...nor is he technically alive."

Duo, in the middle of sipping his tea, sputtered and looked up at Heero pointedly. "Christ!...Treize is a vampire?"

Heero gave no response other than a kurt nod. He took a long swallow of Syn and Duo noticed a cringe run over his features. "You don't like that stuff?"

Unaware that Duo had been watching him, Heero cleared his throat and wiped a small bit of crimson from his lips. "It's not as..._satisfying_ as real blood, but it gives me the strength and nutrients I require."

An uncomfortable silence settled over the two beings as Heero finished his Syn without another flinch. Duo stared into his tea, the dark liquid tinted slightly by the single overhead light above them. "So...what's the deal with Treize? Why are he and Milliardo...in cahoots or whatever?"

Heero shrugged slightly, getting up swiftly and placing his empty bottle next to the sink then sitting back down in less than a second. "Treize...is...well...he was the first successful recipient of the L5-C virus. He was on his deathbed when he arrived at colony L5-A0207...it was his last chance at life...so he took it...though you can hardly call being a vampire _living_."

Heero's voice was low and surprisingly full of emotion. Duo stared at him in fascination, the story not as much of a shock as it would have been several days earlier...after everything he'd been through this was amazingly...predictable.

"Treize was the first of our kind...he was alone in the world of immortality...and so he ordered his 'makers' to produce more like him. Treize, being the man he was in his human life, was greedy for power over all immortals. He's the strongest of us all because he's been infected for the longest. Treize Kushrenada holds the highest position among immortals...what some humans would refer to as a...king."

Duo's eyes were vacant, his mouth hanging open slightly as if to say something, but having nothing useful to say. For several seconds he processed the information and then with a sudden realization burst out: "Treize is a fucking Vampire King?"

"_The_ Vampire King, Duo," Heero corrected immediately, his muscles tense. "Duo, there are more of us in this world than you think. I promise you that. Just because you think you know someone-"

"Doesn't mean I do. Heero, I know. Obviously, I know," Duo interrupted with a knowing grin.

Heero stared at the human before him, the red rimmed violet eyes attracting most of his attention. "Duo, you need to rest."

"But, Heero, I want to know more-"

"No buts." Heero felt as if he was scolding a small child. "Your well being is more important right now. Sleep is what you need...not worthless information about vampires."

Duo frowned. "I don't think it's worthless, Heero." But, knowing better than to argue, he easily sprawled out on the small and not too terribly comfortable bed he had almost died in just the night before.

"Where do you sleep Heero? I mean...in the day that is." Duo asked, stifling a yawn. His exhaustion was suddenly catching up with him.

Heero fixed him with a solemn look. "That's something for you to learn another time, Duo. Go to sleep. I'll be here...just in case-"

"Yeah, yeah." Duo waved his fingers, closing his eyes with a smirk. "Just in case I'm attacked again. Thanks, Heero...buddy...I...appreciate...it..." And with that Duo was out like a light.

* * *

He was running...running as fast as he'd ever run in his life...but it wasn't enough.

"Duo!" Heero's voice was harsh and powerful.

Duo stopped for a moment to catch his breath when a force pushed him backwards, up against the apartment building's exterior brick wall. "Heero! What-" A frigid hand wrapped around his neck cutting off his words. A single tear escaped his eye as he watched Heero's fangs slide out from under his lips menacingly.

"Duo, Synthetic Blood only goes so far...sometimes I crave human blood so badly...and yours is so...so..." Before the ravenous vampire could finish his sentence Duo felt his neck being snapped to one side and Heero's fangs piercing his skin...his mouth formed a silent scream...and then...he woke up...

Duo sat up so fast in bed his head spun sickeningly. He closed his eyes tight and rubbed his temples, his fingertips still shaking. "What the fuck...Heero..."

Immediately Heero was at his side, looking worried. Duo jumped back with a gasp, his breathing erratic, his nerves on edge. Heero's forehead wrinkled and he tried to place a calming hand on Duo's leg, but the appendage recoiled before contact was made.

"Duo, what's wrong? What happened?"

Duo, as if still not completely awake, shook his head dazedly. "I-I had a nightmare...that's all."

Heero opened his mouth to respond with his best comforting words-which weren't much-when there was a loud knock on his front door.

The vampire's head flicked to one side and his eyes narrowed. Duo stared at him uneasily. "Heero...what-"

But, Heero was already at the door, his hand gripped firmly around the knob, the muscles in his back obviously tensed and ready. Slowly he opened the door just a crack, but the sound of splintering wood made Duo jump.

In a flash a cold hand wrapped around his neck, snaking over his mouth to keep him silent, another granite hard arm clutching at his upper body and arms. Duo watched with frightened eyes as Heero was pinned easily against the wall next to his now broken door. He fought ruthlessly against his dark haired attacker, but when his vision made contact with the captured Duo all his attempts at freedom ceased.

"Heero Yuy. It's been a while." The sickeningly familiar voice coiled around Heero's mind like poison. "Too long I'd say...and look...we finally get to meet your little plaything." The man turned, still keeping a firm grip on Heero, and gazed at Duo appraisingly, his dark eyes full of lustful hunger. He opened his mouth, showing off a set of pearly white fangs, his tongue licking at the left one provocatively.

Duo struggled uselessly in the other vampire's strong arms and glared daggers at Heero's captor. With all his might he tried to direct his mind and instincts to shift, but he just couldn't focus under the pressure of the current circumstances.

"Raphael. Don't. You. Dare." All attention was averted back to Heero, his eyes glowing with fury.

"And why not Heero?" The vampire's hands cinched tighter around Heero's throat and bicep.

"He is mine," he spit out, his fangs making a dangerous appearance.

Duo's eyes widened at the exchange, his struggling stopped and he observed the two vampires with a curious, but terrified expression.

"I am your maker!" Raphael growled, his features glowing with passionate anger. "You will obey me."

Heero smiled wickedly up at him. "Do you forget, Raphael. You released me. You no longer have that hold on me."

Raphael ground his teeth together furiously. "A minor technicality, Yuy."

Roughly, the vampire threw Heero to the ground. "Stay. Or else your human friend won't live to see dawn."

Heero's muscles trembled with rage, but he followed his maker's orders. Raphael made his way to Duo, who had begun struggling against his attacker again, even though it was getting him nowhere.

"Hmm...you are quite lovely. I can now understand what Heero sees in you." Raphael placed his fingers against Duo's quivering cheek and ran them upwards, playing with his chestnut bangs.

"Release him, Angelo," Raphael said softly to the vampire holding Duo. Without hesitation the strong arms untangled themselves from his body and Duo heaved in a deep breath.

Raphael's hand clutched at Duo's chin as he lowered his face only inches from the human. Impulsively Duo bared his clenched teeth and attempted to pull back, but the vampire's grip was too powerful. "My, my...fiery, aren't you?"

"Get away from me you bastard," Duo snapped brusquely. In a split second Raphael was upon him, his ice cold hands pinning him effortlessly to the bed, his fangs still at the ready.

"Raphael!" Heero jumped into action, clawing at his maker's arms for a moment before Angelo restrained him from behind.

"Not a smart move, Heero," Raphael, laughed out gutturally. His eyes flashed with excitement as he gazed down at Duo's shaking form. Slowly he lowered his head next to Duo's neck and whispered in his ear a bone-chilling five words.

"I'm going to enjoy this."

* * *

to be continued...

* * *

**A/N:** Hey look, an update! So as you can tell updates are going to be slower now. Classes start tomorrow and I'm not sure when I'll have time to write yet. But don't give up on me, I'll make time! Also, my poll is still open for those of you who haven't yet/want to answer it, thank you!


	8. More Fangs, More Practice

**Bite Me**

**_Chapter 7: More Fangs, More Practice_**

_AC 201. 19. June_

_0000 hours [Midnight]_

_Earth - Sanc Kingdom_

The already broken front door was slammed up against the wall with a terrifying, wrathful strength. The vampire atop of Duo had only mere seconds to realize what was going on before he was wrenched from his preying position and thrown to the floor.

"How dare you Raphael! How dare you come into _my_ jurisdiction and fuck with _my_ people." The venomous voice was rough and full of fury, but Duo knew exactly who it belonged to.

"Wufei?" Duo's own voice was hesitant and timid. Slowly his muscles regained movement and most of the shock wore off as he crawled carefully to peer over the side of the bed at a helplessly pinned Raphael and a seething Wufei Chang.

Wufei's slim, but powerful fingers curled tighter around the vampire's neck. Then slowly he turned his head and gave Duo a curt nod, not at all hiding his glinting fangs. Duo's mouth opened and his bottom lip trembled, but he was unable to find any words.

Ignoring his fellow Preventer's blank stare Wufei turned his attention back to the wide eyed vampire below him. "What do you have to say, Raphael?"

"N-nothing. I-I'm sorry...w-we'll go n-now." He flicked his eyes to Angelo who immediately let Heero fall from his grasp.

Heero was at Duo's side in a matter of seconds with a slew of questions along the lines of: "Are you alright? Are you hurt? What's wrong?" But Duo barely heard them as he kept his vision glued to Wufei.

"If I catch you here again...anywhere near here I won't hesitate to report you to a higher up," Wufei growled, slowly lifting his hand from Raphael's neck. Both unwelcome vampires shared a strange look, retracted their fangs and ran out the door in a flash.

Wufei stood and drew in his fangs as well. Brushing off his Preventer jacket he turned to face Heero and Duo expressionlessly.

Heero, who had his arm wrapped around Duo's shoulders protectively gave Wufei a slight nod of thanks while Duo just kept staring and stammering. "Whater you...? H-how did you...?"

"I'm a much stronger vampire than Raphael will _ever_ be," Wufei snarled.

Duo, full well knowing the answer, asked the question anyways. "I'm sorry. Could you repeat that? You're a...what now?"

"A vampire." With an understanding smirk Wufei's fangs popped into view once more.

"Uh-huh. That's what I thought you said." Duo scrutinized the fangs with burning eyes. "Why is it that every damn person around here seems to be some sort of supernatural..._thing_ nowadays!"

Neither vampire answered Duo's question, they simply ignored his small rant, understanding the brunt of what he was still taking in. Heero rubbed his temple and removed his arm from around Duo, looking up at him through apologetic eyes. "I'm sorry...this-this is my fault. I should have never brought you here."

Wufei spoke before Duo could even open his mouth to protest. "Heero...Raphael would have found him wherever he was. It was better that he was here because at least he had you to protect-"

"No!" Heero's fists balled up in fury. "No. I didn't protect him. I was powerless, if it wasn't for you I would have had to watch them drain him...or worse...turn him."

Wufei stood, shaking his head solemnly. He knew no matter what he said it wouldn't stop Heero from taking on the guilt. When it came to Duo he knew Heero felt very responsible...almost too much sometimes.

"Please Heero..." Duo added quietly, his eyebrows furrowed in worry. He wasn't at all used to seeing stubborn, stern Heero Yuy so remorseful.

Heero cleared his throat and lowered his head uncomfortably. "It's alright...I'll see to it that they _never_ come near you again, Duo."

Wufei eyed his fellow vampire with concern. "Heero...don't do anything you will regret."

"Hn," was the only response given which made Wufei's stomach ache slightly. He knew the lengths Heero would go to get back at someone who wronged him...and he also knew the punishments that vampires received for the lengths Heero could go.

Duo, who had been listening to the exchange quietly, decided to bud in. "So 'Fei...you're a vamp. Now I get why you only take hours at night," Duo said his brows raised curiously. With a sly grin to himself he muttered beneath his breath, "Creepy."

"It may be 'creepy' to you, Maxwell," Wufei answered, his face unreadable. "But it is our way of life."

Duo, somewhat ignoring Wufei, rolled his shoulders and neck. "God...after that I feel like shifting so bad. I've got all this adrenaline or somethin'."

With narrowed eyes Wufei spoke harshly. "Don't you dare shift in front of me..._dog_."

Duo raised his hands to shoulder height. "Hey, hey! What gives 'Fei?-"

"I may have protected you from Raphael...but L5-B carriers still disgust me," Wufei replied, not a single ounce of remorse in his steely voice. "After my Clan was destroyed any survivors fled to Colony L5-A0207 to seek refuge. When the L5-B virus began to spread throughout the Colony many innocent humans were meaninglessly attacked, including many of my people. Now they must live with the infection. I, on the other hand, took action."

"You _chose_ to become a vampire?" Duo wondered incredulously, his teeth grinding.

Wufei grunted in affirmation. "I was among the first to be successfully infected with the L5-C strain...and to this day I can't stand the sight of an L5-B traitor-"

"Hey! I didn't _choose_ to become infected with this bloody virus! Traitor my ass-" Duo lunged towards Wufei impulsively but Heero held him back in a firm yet gentle grasp.

"He's way too strong for you, Duo. Don't even think about it," Heero whispered in his ear, his tone unyielding. Then, louder, Heero directed his attention to Wufei. "Back down, Chang. He's right, he wasn't infected at his own volition and he hasn't done anything to you...or anyone for that matter. Thank you for your help, I am in your debt...but right now maybe it would be best if you left."

Wufei laughed under his breath and gave the two men one last look, saving a slightly chastising one for Duo and left through the open door he had come in several moments before without a second glance.

There was a hard moment of silence before Duo spoke, his voice shaking and full of confusion. "Shit, Heero...what the hell is going on?"

Heero turned Duo around to face him, staring at his blood shot violet eyes sadly. "No matter what anyone says, this is my fault. Raphael is _my_ maker and therefore _my_ responsibility. I should have never brought you here...I should have never come here at all."

Duo's mouth turned from a grim line to an angry frown. "Don't you _dare_ say that to me, Heero Yuy. I don't care what you think, this is the best damn thing that has happened to me in the past three years."

"How can you think that?" Heero moved away from Duo to lean against the living room wall and averted his eyes to the floor. "Nothing but trouble has happened to you since I came back."

"Heero...I think that because...because I..." Duo hesitated for a moment, trying to find the right way to explain his feelings. The "L" word was not among his vocabulary which made it all the more difficult. "Because, Heero, you are the most important thing to me. When you disappeared I didn't know what to do. It was like half of me was gone...dead. It was so impossible to function afterwards."

Heero didn't bother to lift his head, his voice steelier than usual. "But your life did go back to normal."

"No, Heero, it didn't." Duo's fists curled at the memories and his teeth clenched uncomfortably behind his lips. "Ask anyone...life was _not_ the same after I lost you."

The vampire gave no response causing a few tears to slip from Duo's eyes uncontrollably. "Heero, don't you understand?"

Despite every emotion running through the room Heero's face held no sign that he felt anything within his dead heart.

Duo sighed, trying hard to hide his impulsive grief behind fury. "Fine, Heero." He grabbed his duffle bag from behind the battered front door roughly. "I'm going back to my dorm to get some sleep. Despite the fact that I'm a shape-shifter I still have to work and my shift starts at seven a.m. Do me a favor, please...don't follow me. Maybe I'll see you tonight. If you want that is."

And with that Duo left, leaving a pain filled Heero behind, a single blood red tear slipping down his ashen cheek.

* * *

_1925 hours [7:25 pm]_

_Earth - Sanc Kingdom_

Duo sat in his chair staring mindlessly at a set of security screens in front of him. Out of every security shift, this had to be the most boring and with his luck he got it on the day he lacked adequate sleep and energy.

With a sigh he stretched his lanky arms above his head, careful not to let his eyes shut for fear of seeing Heero's stoic face in his shadowy memory.

Slowly his vision drifted to the vacant chair next to him that Wufei usually sat in during the night shifts. A shiver ran through his body as Duo thought about the fangs he never knew existed beneath the unyielding line Wufei called a smile.

Everything had been happening so fast it was hard to believe he hadn't lost his mind yet. Vampires, shape-shifters...who knew what else was out there. But the biggest question in his mind was why were they all suddenly out to get _him_?

A quick rap on the open door behind him jolted Duo back to reality. He spun awkwardly in his chair to meet a pair of green eyes and a quirking, curious eyebrow.

"Trowa! You scared the bejesus outta me!" Duo shook his head with a nervous smirk.

Trowa, rather than apologizing, took several steps forward to sit in the chair Duo had previously been scrutinizing. "I heard you were attacked...again."

A slight embarrassment glowed on the braided man's cheeks before he answered, his jaw stiff. "Wasn't shape-shifters...this time it was vampires."

"So I heard," Trowa answered, his voice not holding any sympathy or shock. "When are you off?"

Duo glanced at his watch. "About two minutes...why?"

Trowa eyed the man before him for a moment. "When you were attacked...did you find it hard to shift?"

"Impossible," Duo answered immediately, but then narrowed his eyes. "How'd you know?"

Leaning forward Trowa put his elbows on his knees and stared at his fellow shifter seriously. "Duo, just because you've shifted once doesn't mean you're an expert. There's still a lot you need to learn. For starters, how to use your powers under pressure."

"And how do you propose I learn that?" Duo asked, his tone tinged with amused cynicism.

Trowa raised his eyebrows mischievously and if one looked closely they might have found a small grin upon his lips.

* * *

Duo stood in the open courtyard, nothing but a small towel to protect his body from prying eyes and the evening's cool breeze. A powerful blush covered his skin from head to toe.

Under his breath he muttered insults and threats to Trowa Barton, but stood still, following the man's orders because of his insatiable curiosity regarding his shifts and new abilities.

Amid a shrewd, whispered sentence Duo's ears pricked as he heard a low breathing sound from behind his standing position. A slight worry trickled through his mind, but still he slowly turned around to face the ominous noise.

Within seconds a large, umber toned animal was upon him mercilessly. It's claws dug into his shoulders just enough to draw a few droplets of blood but nothing more. His attacker was careful, but not too careful and held vivid green eyes that Duo stared up at in shock.

The hound was slim but toned, it's legs long and agile, it's teeth gleaming in the sun's setting light. Trowa gave a growl of frustration and glared down at Duo in annoyance. Duo had not even made a move to shift.

The hound closed his eyes and shook his head. In an unexpected burst, the animal's claws retracted, it's fur began to diminish and it's body morphed backwards into the shape of a human skeleton.

Trowa sat back, his legs crossed slightly, hiding anything of importance from his fellow shifter's eyes and rested his arms across his knees. "Duo...if i'm going to take the time to train you you need to at least _try_ to cooperate with me."

Duo sat up cautiously and pawed at his small wounds with wide eyes. He gazed at the man before him, his lower lip dropping slightly his brows furrowed in bewilderment. "What...what the _hell_ was that?"

Without a pause Trowa answered easily. "If you want to hone your shifting skills under pressure how else do you expect to learn?"

Duo's only reply was a peculiar look and a hesitant shrug. Trowa sighed and stood without a second thought causing Duo to blink his eyes to the side and blush unconsciously. He returned a moment later, partially clothed, having forgone a shirt and threw Duo's slack's at him carelessly.

"Get up. Get dressed. There's something we need to do before we can train any further." He stated turning his back to give Duo some privacy.

"What do we need to do?" Duo wondered, pulling on his pants with nervous fingers.

Trowa faced him again and retrieved a small butterfly knife from a sheath about his ankle. "In order to fully understand shifting, Duo, we need to be able to communicate during our time as animals. In order to accomplish this we must share DNA."

Trowa held out the knife and raised his forearm towards the blade. Duo, grabbed the man's wrist before any blood could be drawn. "Whoa! Hold on there...what the hell are you doing, Tro?"

"So that we can communicate...read each other's minds whenever we are shifted. We need to share blood."

Duo pursed his lips in thought. "This is going too far Trowa. Isn't this...unsanitary?

Trowa shook his head. "Any disease either of us may have been carrying would have been destroyed instantly by L5-B when it entered our blood."

Slowly Duo released Trowa's wrist. "So you'll be able to hear my thoughts?"

"Only when one or both of us is shifted. Not when we are both in human form. It's nothing to worry about Duo, I've done this before...just a few drops will do."

As the sun's final rays slowly drifted behind the Peacecraft estate's vast gardens Duo watched with a cringe as Trowa drew a small line upon his skin with the knife, just enough to allow a slow trickle of blood to flow out. Ignoring the already open wounds upon Duo's shoulders, Trowa grabbed his wrist strongly and hovered his knife over a protruding vein, steadily arching the knife downwards to make the fateful incision.

But a pair of strangling hands halted all proceedings as Trowa was thrown helplessly to the ground and a set of glinting fangs appeared only inches from his neck.

* * *

to be continued...

* * *

**A/N:** That wait wasn't too bad, now was it? Thanks for understanding guys! It looks like I'll be updating about once at week...but we'll see how it goes. Thank you for all your support!

**Edit:** As per the next couple chapters I'm going to up this story's rating to M the next time I update. For those of you who can't find this story on the main GW board, remember that it won't be under "K-T" it'll be under "All Ratings" now. Thanks!


	9. Revenge, Best Served Warm

**Bite Me**

_**Chapter 8: Revenge, Best Served Warm**_

_AC 201. 19. June_

_2015 hours [8:25 pm]_

_Earth - Sanc Kingdom_

"Heero! No!" Duo's hoarse voice yelled out, his body moving on impulse towards the scuffling men.

"Duo...no...this is not right," Heero snarled out through clenched teeth, his fangs hanging over his bottom lip threateningly.

"This is the only way Duo and I will be able to stay in contact mentally as animals, Heero. It's for his own good." Trowa's voice was calm as usual, but slightly muffled due to the strangling fingers around his slim neck. His hands clenched around Heero's wrists, but otherwise did not try to fight back.

"Spilling his blood?" Heero seethed, returning his attention back to the man beneath him. "How will that help?"

"He wasn't going to hurt me, Heero! We only need a few drops!" Duo's hands found Heero's strong upper arms and pulled with all his might. "Let...him...go!"

Reluctantly Heero released his crushing grip on Trowa and turned to face a frazzled Duo, a scowl masking his features. "You consented to this? To sharing blood with him?"

Duo nodded firmly, his breathing becoming slightly less erratic. "I need to learn about what I am, Heero. This is the only way. I'm sorry if that is a problem for you...but right now, that really doesn't matter to me." His words were harsh, but his tone was even.

Heero stared at him for a moment before giving a quick nod of painful understanding. Meanwhile, Trowa raised himself slowly from off the ground, tenderly running his fingers along his neck. "Heero...care to let me in on what your maker wants with Duo?"

With vicious eyes, Heero turned to scowl at the rugged man he had just attacked. "That is none of your business, Barton."

"But it is _my_ business, Heero," Duo blurted out, taking a firm step towards the vampire, curiosity hiding beneath the annoyance still harbored on his features. "You never explained anything about this...'maker' shit to me."

"Now is _not_ the time," Heero hissed through his bared fangs angrily. His fingers grabbed a hold of Duo's arm possessively, but the shape shifter's reflexes were quicker and he pulled away, glaring daggers in the moon's dim light.

"Goddammit, Heero! Now _is_ the time!" Duo's stance was one of aggression as he stood in front of Trowa almost protectively. "Get over yourself, stop pussyfooting around and start explaining what the hell's been going on around here!"

Both Trowa and Heero gave the braided man looks of pure dismay as he seethed between them. Slowly Trowa raised his hands peacefully. "I'll go...you two should talk..._alone_."

"No!" Duo whipped around to face Trowa. "Stay...please. If you're going to help me...I think you should know what's going on too."

Hesitantly Trowa nodded in consent and Duo spun to face Heero again, a slightly victorious gleam in his violet eyes. Heero squinted in irritated understanding of Duo's immature methods of making him jealous. And no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't fight the feeling of envy that crept through his mind when he thought of Trowa Barton being inside _his_ Duo's thoughts.

Heero's jaw clenched. "Raphael has no..._reason_ to want you, Duo." Heero eyed Trowa's emotionless face and then returned his attention to the braided man before him. "He is my maker...he turned me and Angelo aided him in the attack. The only reason for him coming after you is...pure _jealousy_."

Duo's teeth ground together as he squinted at Heero in anger and astonishment. "Jealousy? Are you crazy? That doesn't make any sense-"

"On the contrary, it makes quite a lot of sense." Trowa's voice was steady as he interrupted the partially private conversation. Both sets of eyes stared at him; violet in confusion, blue in slight panic.

He paused for a split second to collect his thoughts and then began. "Raphael is Heero's maker. There's a bond there...a life bond. Much different than anything a shape shifter experiences with their infector. Naturally he would be jealous of a new person entering Heero's new life as he was the one to create it. A new bond has reformed and he is not apart of it."

Duo blushed and Heero scowled as Trowa finished his explanation. "That's not true," the vampire whispered through near pursed lips. He allowed his eyes to drift, never making contact with Duo's own, but ravaging his bare, sculpted abdomen and chest with a covetous frown.

The realization was too much to handle. Heero hadn't experienced emotions like this for three long years and now they were all crashing back to him; the dam inside his subconscious was breaking.

Trowa stepped towards Heero, placing a hand on Duo's silent shoulder before closing the gap between himself and the vampire. "We all know, Heero." His voice seeped smoothly into Heero's ear. "We all knew before...and we all know now..."

In a split second he received the action he was hoping for.

Heero's fangs snapped into place threateningly and his fingers flew up to curl around Trowa's neck once again, crushing his windpipe easily. His own fingers wrapped around Heero's wrist, but again did nothing more in the way of self preservation.

Heero's breathing was harsh as he stared venomously into the green eyes slightly above him. He never heard or saw the set of razor-like canines and claws that launched themselves into his back and jugular.

Heero's hand automatically released Trowa as he averted his attention to the pricking pain on his body. Nothing penetrated vampire skin...nothing but fangs, silver, stakes or...shape shifters.

Duo pulled away from his victim, his muzzle dripping blood red liquid. Heero pawed at the wounds on his neck in amazement before the skin slowly healed over.

"Duo, what-?" But Heero's question was interrupted by a low growl in the back of the hounds throat before he pounced once more. Duo's instincts rushed though his veins, rapidly fueling his attack. His jaws snapped firmly at Heero, only missing him by millimeters as the vampire tried to fend off the savage animal.

Heero's mind was on overdrive as he tried to back away and out of reach of the sharp, powerful teeth before him. He couldn't hurt Duo, but how else could he defend himself?

Forcefully Heero thrust himself forward, his speed and surprise counter attack no match for the hound. Duo's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before a powerful backhand to his neck and shoulder sent him reeling backwards several feet.

The intensity of the attack had somehow jolted him from his hound form and Duo lay still, his bare skin holding a sheen of sweat, his muscles contracting with every breath he took.

In a flash Trowa was kneeling next to his fellow shape shifter tentatively. "Duo?"

Glazed violet eyes gazed up at him in confusion. "What...what happened, Tro?"

Heero took a step toward the couple, still panting from the scuffle. He shut his eyes tightly before reopening them to evaluate the situation.

"You attacked Heero." Trowa's answer was simple, but it was all Duo needed. Without thinking Duo sat upright, his right hand immediately clutching at his upper left shoulder. The tendons and bones there were obviously not broken, but a puce colored bruise was already forming from the small amount of blood pooling beneath the surface.

Trowa draped a towel across Duo's lap. "Stay calm. You need to be still or else you'll make it worse."

Slowly Heero made his way towards them, taking a matching kneeling position on the opposite side of Trowa. He retracted his fangs and frowned, his eyes gazing incredulously at the wounds he had inflicted. "Duo, I-I'm so sorry..."

Duo cringed as he moved his head to face Heero's pale, guilt filled features. "Please...Heero...it's not your fault." His voice was strained. "If anyone's to blame...it's Trowa."

Heero narrowed his eyes in uncertainty and raised his gaze to Trowa, who's own face showed no sign of emotion, and then back to Duo. "What-"

With a pain filled smirk Duo let out a gasping chuckle. "He provoked you...on purpose...to get me to shift...under pressure." He looked to Trowa with an admiring eye. "Well played, Tro."

Heero's mouth hung open incredulously. "But...you're injured...because of _me_." He scowled at Duo's almost giddy expression. "Why are you smiling!"

Duo faced Heero with a heartening look. "I'm injured...because of my reckless impulses. It's not your fault." He moved his hand towards Heero in a reassuring gesture, but pulled back quickly, grimacing as the action tugged at his bruised muscles.

Heero was about to argue against that, but Trowa stepped in before the disagreement could ensue any further. "I'm going to get a first aid kit and see what can be done about that shoulder. Heero, help Duo with his clothes."

Trowa's eyes were devoid of the humor he felt as the command left his mouth. Without a backwards glance at the two blushing faces before him he left for the Mansion's infirmary room.

Slowly Duo began to sit up further, his feet scuffling in front of him as if he was attempting to stand on his own. There was a bloody scrape running from the side of his thigh to his ankle, but other than that and the contusion on his torso, everything seemed to be intact. However, Heero still held him close to the ground with a firm hand.

"Stay. I'll help you get dressed." The vampire's voice was soft, but gruff as he tried to hide his embarrassment with support.

Duo swallowed, staring straight ahead, refusing to make eye contact. "Really...it's fine. I can do it on my own." He attempted to bend his lacerated leg but cringed and fell backwards on the stone ground.

"Sure about that?" Heero's voice held an amused undertone, but he kept his expression calm and serious. Duo groaned in defiance, but made no move to stop Heero from aiding him in clothing himself.

There was an unsure pause before Heero stood and walked several feet to a pile of dark fabric. Forgoing finding any undergarments, he returned with Duo's slacks and tossed them to the ground next to the injured man.

Duo, his stubborn attitude not lost because of his wounds, grabbed the pants hastily and with little complaint from his shoulder as possible.

Heero watched him with careful eyes as the braided man contemplated his next move. "You're going to need help."

"No. I'm not." Duo spit back through clenched teeth. His tone wasn't one of anger, but of determination. Steadily he raised his uninjured lower limb and slipped one of the pant legs over it with ease. However, when he tried to lift his other leg to do the same a hissing sound emitted from his clamped mouth and the towel resting precariously about his lap drifted off his skin.

Heero held his eyes in firm check, not daring to look down. "Duo, let me help."

"No." Duo's voice was high pitched and sounded as if he were trying his hardest to hold back tears...of embarrassment or pain Heero wasn't quite sure.

Duo attempted the action again, but with just as little success and more discomfort to his injuries. Without another word Heero kneeled down next to his comrade his eyes still carefully elevated. "Here," he said softly, grabbing the pant leg and tearing at the seam.

Duo stared at him in surprise and slight mortification as the vampire clutched gently at his scraped appendage and guided it through the fabric and tugged a bit so that at least his lower body was now safely covered.

For a moment neither spoke. Heero positioned himself behind Duo and leaned the man's back against his bent knee, allowing the shape shifter to sit up without much effort.

Glancing down at his bloodied leg, which he could see through his now torn pants, Duo winced. There was a pause and a deep breath before he spoke. "Thank you for helping me, Heero."

Heero nodded, but Duo only heard the faint, "hn," that was characteristic of the stoic man. The air around them was thick, but the awkwardness of the situation was surprisingly nonexistent between the two.

Duo heaved a sigh and shifted slightly against his stiff back rest. "I'm sorry for those things I said to you, Heero. All of them."

Impulsively Heero lowered his lips next to Duo's ear and whispered. "You don't have to apologize."

A shiver ran down the shifter's spine as he turned his head as much as his bruised shoulder would allow and stared at the man behind him with a longing expression he tried hard to hold back.

Heero gazed down at Duo's winsome features, his heart sinking. "If anyone should be apologizing, it's me," he added, his voice still low and velvety. Shaking his head the braided man was about to counter this statement, but Heero spoke before he could. "Duo...I need to tell you something...something I've wanted to tell you these past three years...but couldn't." He paused and wondered what the hell was happening to him to be so open, but went on regardless. "Duo...I...I have always..."

A low rustling in the bushes not ten feet from their position pulled Heero's vision away. Duo, not having heard the noise, looked to the vampire with wondering, confused eyes. "Heero...?"

Before either could react Raphael and his accomplice were upon them, his fiery eyes locked on Duo's frightened face. Heero attempted to place his body between the two, but Angelo grabbed his arm, roughly spinning him to the ground several yards away and pouncing on his fellow vampire in an attempt to pin him down.

Duo, paralyzed by panic and Rahael's granite like body, could do nothing beneath the muscular vampire. "So good to see you again, Heero." Raphael's voice was smooth and icy as he spoke in Heero's direction without taking his vision from the shifter below him. "And look, you've brought your pet along again. How _nice_."

Heero's fist flew into Angelo's ribs like a battering ram. His body was free for a split second before the other vampire caught his ankle and twisted, viciously pulling him down onto his back with a painful thud. He let out a loud yell of frustration as Angelo held him to the ground once again.

Meanwhile Raphael had directed his attention purely on Duo. His fingers ran up the shape shifter's face and meandered slowly to his neck and collar bone. He smiled maniacally. "You are something, aren't you?"

Duo clenched his teeth and narrowed his eyes menacingly. "Let us go, you son of bitch."

Raphael waved his finger mockingly in front of the man's nose. "Ah ah ah, play nice now."

Heero squirmed helplessly in Angelo's slightly stronger grip, though both were equally exhausted already from the fight. "Leave him alone, Raphael! This has nothing to do with him!"

"Oh, but that's where you're wrong, Heero." Raphael gave a cat-like grin. "He has _everything_ to do with this."

A loud snarl from behind averted everyone's attention to a large, slim, umber toned hound barreling straight towards Raphael's body. Trowa's sharp teeth grabbed ahold of the vampire's wrist in attempt to free his fellow shifter. However, Raphael easily evaded anymore of the attack, wrapping his free hand around the animal's neck and shoulder, squeezing until his muzzle slackened and the hounds body was thrown effortlessly across the courtyard, laying still in the darkness.

"Trowa!" Free for the moment, Duo made a move to crawl towards the hound's body, tears running down his cheeks now, but Raphael easily pinned his weak body to the cold ground once again. "Not getting away this time, my dear."

Ignoring Heero's ever growing protests the vampire clutched Duo's jaw in his fingers, pulling it to the side with ease to expose his neck. The shifter tried to focus, tried to resist or fight back, but nothing was working. Raphael drew his lips close to Duo's skin, gently kissing the area right above his bruising shoulder all the way up to his ear lobe.

"Lovely work you did here, Heero," he taunted, speaking of the large, bluish abrasion in appreciation. He ran his lips along Duo's flushed neck, blocking out all of the new screams and curses directed at him. "Mmm, warm aren't you?"

Duo's eyes squeezed tightly shut, not daring to look at the vampire above him and give him the satisfaction of witnessing the fear and shame in their violet depths.

Raphael's fangs grazed his skin. "Whoever said revenge is a dish best served cold?" Duo shuttered as he braced for the bite...but it never came.

He opened his eyes to see Heero standing over Raphael inches from him, a rough, wooden stake in his trembling fists. A low moaning from behind him attracted his attention to a heavily bleeding Angelo.

"Heero Yuy, I am your maker! You _cannot_ do this!" Raphael's voice was harsh, but full of terror as he stared at the stake's point hovering directly above his chest.

Heero, fangs at the ready, his eyes smoldering, spoke through grinding teeth. "Watch me."

With those simple words he plunged the stake downwards into Raphael's ribcage, his last expression a horrified, silent scream. Within seconds the vampire's skin began to bubble and melt into a dark red and then, without notice, his entire body erupted sending gushing crimson blood and flesh everywhere within reach.

* * *

to be continued...

* * *

**A/N:** Where did I go? College. Sorry for the longest wait ever. I'll try to be better for the next chapter, promise. Hopefully this chapter was worth it though. Thanks for not giving up hope! As always, reviews are appreciated greatly!


	10. No Satin in This Coffin

**Bite Me**

_**Chapter 9: No Satin in This Coffin**_

_AC 201. 19. June_

_2100 hours [9:00 pm]_

_Earth - Sanc Kingdom_

Duo carefully wiped a glob of a sticky, red substance from his cheek, trying hard not to focus on _what_ exactly the substance was. He opened his mouth hesitantly, his voice nothing but a hoarse whisper. "Heero?"

Heero Yuy stood, covered nearly from head to toe in dripping scarlet, his chest heaving and his eyes burning through the mask of glistening red he wore.

A low groaning voice drew both their attention to an angry, but fear stricken Angelo. "Yuy, you will pay for this." He glared up at the younger vampire from his weak position on hands and knees.

Heero said nothing, only fixed an icy stare in Angelo's direction. For a moment there was complete silence. Duo watched with wide eyes as the wound on Angelo's arm slowly melded together, leaving only a few smears of blood behind. Slowly the pale man raised his body from the ground and within seconds was gone from sight.

A soft pattering of claws on the stone ground alerted Duo to a slightly limping hound walking towards them, his bright green eyes piercing. The animal sauntered carefully towards the bubbling mess at Heero's feet and scrunched his muzzle in obvious disgust.

Then, ignoring Heero, he ambled unevenly towards the towel laying several feet from Duo's body. In a rush of energy and flesh Trowa emerged in human form once again, wrapping the fabric around his waist casually.

With intrigued eyes Trowa took in the situation before him. He focused his vision on Duo and gestured to his braid and said pointedly, "You have vampire in your hair."

Duo wrinkled his nose and pulled at his disheveled locks sadly, picking at a piece of god knows what with his fingernails. Finding the process fairly tedious he quickly gave up and looked up at Trowa, his eyes lingering on his bare chest and soon meandering up towards a bruise about his neck. "Hey, we match," Duo smirked, indicating the dark abrasions they both harbored on their upper bodies.

Trowa wrinkled his brows and snorted softly at Duo's ability to bring his subtle humor into any situation. Then he turned his attention to Heero and the dead vampire beneath him, pursing his lips in serious thought. "You've made quite a mess."

"Hn." Heero's teeth ground together in a snarl directed at the hot pile of bloody tissues and insides. "He deserved it."

Trowa nodded. "That may be. But actions have consequences, Heero."

"I am aware," Heero hissed in reply, clenching his fists at his sides.

"What kind of consequences?" Both pairs of eyes flitted to Duo's concerned features.

Trowa's lips opened to respond, but Heero's voice came first. "Nothing we need to discuss." His face held a hint of shame and regret as he gave Duo a pining glance. Trowa sighed, but held his tongue, knowing Heero would deal with the situation in his own right.

"Heero..." Duo began, but the vampire turned his back coldly on the shocked man.

"Go home, Duo." Heero's voice was deep and full of a pain neither shifter would ever be able to fully understand. "I will take care of the messes I have created on my own." With that he was gone in a dark flash leaving two speechless men behind him. One holding a regretful lump in his quivering throat and an ache in his lustful heart.

* * *

_AC 201. 19. June_

_2130 hours [9:30 pm]_

_Space - Colony L5-A0207_

A loud, thunderous voice could be heard throughout the colony's largest structure, a great castle of sorts, and through the grounds nearby. "It must be done tonight...I don't care how you do it, just get it done! Tonight! No more delays!-"

"But sir-"

"No excuses!"

"Sir...Raphael Russo has been killed."

Treize Kushrenada's eyes burned beneath his angular, auburn bangs. "Excuse me?"

"Raphael...was executed...sir." The pale messenger licked at his lips nervously.

"Executed?" Kushrenada's voice boomed in the small, but lavish office. "By who?"

The messenger cleared his throat hesitantly. "Well, sir...Heero Yuy...sir."

Treize's fingers curled on top of his mahogany desk menacingly. He narrowed his eyes and muttered to no one in particular. "Yuy...touché." He turned his vision back to the cowering messenger quickly. "Heero Yuy murdered one of my best men-and his own _maker_-in cold blood?"

The man twiddled with his fingers in anxiety. "It would appear that way, sir."

Angrily Treize threw open a drawer to his left and pulled out a small, significant piece of plastic and threw it at the messenger without restraint. "The job will be done tonight! Tell the men to take an express shuttle...whatever the hell it takes." He paused and fueled his fury into a cunningly, evil smile, his fangs glistening. "And inform them that they have specific orders to detain Heero Yuy. He has broken vampire law...murder and treason to his own kind...and now he will suffer the consequences. The perfect consequences."

* * *

_AC 201. 19. June_

_2300 hours [11:00 pm]_

_Earth - Sanc Kingdom - Preventer Barracks_

Duo sat cross legged atop his dorm room bunk facing the small mirror tacked precariously to the wall. His fingers fumbled nervously with his long, damp, chestnut locks, braiding them together as best he could.

He sighed, looking at his pale features with a grim expression. It had taken him a good forty minutes to get the last bits of blood and literal vampire from his skin and hair; it had been frighteningly quality thinking time.

Duo rubbed his bloodshot eyes roughly with his willowy fingers. He had witnessed a murder. A horribly violent death. And he was in love with the killer. But the worst part about it was that not a single bone in his body felt guilty about it. In his mind's eye what Heero had done was perfectly appropriate.

A brisk knock on the door interrupted his brooding thoughts. He turned hesitantly, slowing moving off the bed and towards the entryway. His jaw tight, Duo gazed through the peep hole to find a solemn looking Heero on the other side.

Duo blinked and spun so that his back was resting heavily against the door. His eyes wide with anxiety, his breathing heavy he glanced down at his bare chest and sweat pant clad legs. His fists clenched against the door frame and his eyes shut tight as he shook his head and tried to calm his hyperventilating state.

There was another knock on the door, and this time, a voice. "Duo...I know you're in there." Heero paused nervously. "I think we should talk."

Duo licked his lips. "Talk?" His voice broke embarrassingly. Clearing his throat he tried again. "What could we possibly have to talk about?" He gave a tiny, uncomfortable laugh as though it was a simply absurd idea to think about.

"Duo..." Heero muttered something incoherent on the other side. "Will you just open the door." He seemed slightly annoyed now. "Don't you think this would be easier face to face."

Duo's brows furrowed upwards. "Face to face?...Heero I don't think-"

"Duo! Just open the goddamned door!" Heero's voice was loud, but almost sounded as if he were smiling at Duo's nervous appeals.

With a deep breath, Duo removed the chain lock and unbolted the door, slowly revealing the pale vampire standing in his hallway. "Hi," he said in an uncomfortable tone, not sure what other greeting would be appropriate.

"Hello," Heero answered with a glint in his eyes. It was as if their previously conversation through the door had not taken place.

There was a powerfully awkward silence before Duo spoke, scratching the back of his neck and furrowing his brows slightly. "So...would you like to come in?"

The question came as a great relief to Heero, the invisible barrier between he and Duo finally dissolving. Swiftly he entered the tiny dormitory, causing his braided companion to blink rapidly, turning around with a bewildered look on his face. Heero said nothing in response, merely stood stiffly in the middle of the room, waiting for Duo to close the door.

Eying Heero, Duo quickly pulled on a t-shirt that had been lying on his bed and took a seat at the small table in what was his makeshift kitchen. He pawed at the bandage wrapping itself up his scraped appendage protruding from his pant leg. This new silence was even more unbearable.

Heero cleared his throat. "Duo...I'm sorry."

Duo held up his hand and gave a minimal smirk. "No need, Heero. Honestly, don't apologize."

"But it's my fault. Raphael and Angelo-"

"What's done is done." Even Duo himself was surprised at the maturity in his words and tone.

Heero nodded slightly, not entirely convinced. A deep pool of regret and fear was welling inside his stomach. "Duo...right before Raphael...do you remember...I was trying to tell you something."

Duo's eyes glazed for a moment in deep thought and then he nodded. Heero went on, his voice amazingly unsteady. "Well...I was going to say..." He paused, trying his hardest to form the impossible syllables, his lips nearly quivering. But, then another thought entered his mind. "Do you remember when you asked me where I sleep...during the day?"

Duo gave the vampire a quizzical stare, but nodded once more.

Heero pressed on. "Duo...do you trust me?"

Again, a nod was the only response given from the braided shifter.

Heero gazed at the man before him for a moment, then turned to leave, but then his voice carried over his shoulder. "Then follow me."

* * *

Duo eyes scavenged the tiny apartment, looking for any signs of a coffin. It wasn't exactly something he was used to looking for, and wasn't sure what to expect.

Trembling fingers latched onto his wrist and Heero, diverting his eyes in the shadows of the dark space, led him down a hallway and to a heavily locked door. Quickly he removed a small key from his back pocket and unlocked the door with surprising speed.

Neither spoke as Heero guided Duo into the dim room. Nothing adorned the blank white walls and there was no furniture except for a large industrial looking metal box elevated in the center of the room.

Heero released his hold on the shifter's arm and walked towards the large coffin, lifting the lid with ease, still hiding his features from Duo's wondering eyes. The braided man stood in the doorway for a moment, unsure, but then slowly proceeded further into the room, towards the vampire and his coffin.

Duo licked his lips nervously. "This is it?" His eyes scanned the plain, white linen lining and the black, metal casing in curiosity.

"Simplicity is all I need." Heero's voice was faint as he too stared down at the space where he spent the duration of his time after sun-up till sun-down.

Duo gazed at the vampire before him with soft eyes and a soft smile. He reached out and touched his fingertips to Heero's ice-cold hand. "It suits you."

There was a short pause in the proceedings where Heero turned to face Duo with an indistinct look of happiness in his dark eyes, their faces mere inches apart, before they were simultaneously grabbing, mauling, ripping and kissing, hard and fast.

Heero was unsure how it happened, or who had started it, but one minute his shirt was on, the next it was gone and somewhere on the floor along with several buttons. He leaned into Duo, his weight causing the shifter to stagger, but Duo took Heero with him, both colliding into the waist height coffin.

So Heero called his dare and yanked Duo's thin shirt upwards and away from his lean frame. Duo raised his arms high as Heero peeled it free of his body to cast it aside along with his shirt. The vampire's palms moved to the shifter's face and held him steady as they breathlessly kissed again, his fingers burrowing into Duo's hair and feeling his hands roving all over the dips of his icy, muscular back.

A tightness was rising in Heero's stomach and his lips were tingling, making him light-headed, all sense of the here and now evaporating. The only awareness being that unobtainable and beautiful braided man in front of him and in his arms-the one he hated yet the one he had been desiring for so long, the one that drove him _crazy_, the one he just could not walk away from…the one who was now pressing up against him every bit as hard as he was.

And then, in a rush of ecstasy there was a hollow pop as his fangs exposed themselves. With a quick breath of embarrassment Heero released his grip on Duo and stepped back. It took a moment for the shifter to sober, his expression full of confusion. "Heero...what's wrong?" His voice was small and scared.

"I-I'm sorry." Heero averted his eyes to the shirts haphazardly thrown on the floor. "My fangs."

"Heero," Duo moved forward, his mouth winding into a flirtatious smirk. "I honestly don't give a shit about your fangs."

Heero raised his eyes to meet the glowing violet ones in front of him. "You're sure?"

Duo wrinkled his forehead, but his smirk only grew wider and more devious. "Fuck, Heero..." He leaned forward and pressed his lips against the vampire's jaw. "I am..." His kissed the corner of Heero's mouth. "One hundred..." Another kiss. "Percent..." Another. "Sure."

Within seconds Duo found himself on his back, laying in the coffin they had previously been leaning against, Heero above him, his eyes lustful, his fangs glistening.

There was a soft moment where neither moved and time slowed to where it could barely keep up with their racing heartbeats. Heero's jaw quivered and Duo closed his eyes in preparation for what was to come next. Slowly the vampire allowed his fangs to graze against the tender skin of Duo's neck, kissing from his jaw to his collar bone provocatively, and then, with unexpected suddenness, Heero bit into the flesh.

Immediately drops of warm, scarlet blood oozed from the small wounds, dripping slowing down Duo's trembling neck, but before they could reach the white linen of the coffin a greedy tongue caught them.

Heero's fangs sank into the perfectly shaped wounds and he drank lustfully. His dark eyes closed and his hands roamed Duo's body in exhilaration. The vampire gave a hungry, powerful suck and Duo moaned in his ear, immediately Heero stopped.

"Are you alright?" His eyes scoured Duo's perspiring face and half opened eyes. "I-I can stop."

Duo sighed raggedly and stared at his own deep red blood dripping from Heero's sculpted chin and lips. "Please, Heero, go on." There was a hint of desire hiding beneath the shifter's exhausted sounding voice.

And so, with little hesitance, Heero proceeded.

* * *

_AC 201. 19. June_

_2300 hours [11:00 pm]_

_Earth - Sanc Kingdom - Peacecraft Mansion - Winner Suite_

Trowa awoke to a rustling outside the carved mahogany door several yards from the luxurious bed he and his beloved Quatre were currently occupying. As his tired eyes adjusted to the darkness surrounding them, his senses prickled ominously.

His muscles tensed and he turned his bruised neck a fraction of an inch to get a better view of the doorway. The petite body sprawled halfway across his bare chest stirred slightly, his silk encased legs repositioning themselves against Trowa's own.

The shifter's attention was diverted for a moment, gazing down at the blond figure hidden slightly beneath the sheets. Trowa ran his willowy fingers through Quatre's hair affectionately, now completely unconcerned about the noise that had previously woken him. Slowly Quatre turned his head upwards and his eyes fluttered open, their aqua irises glowing in the nighttime darkness.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." Trowa's voice was deep and breathy.

Quatre gave him a loving grin. "It's fine. You know I don't mind waking up to you."

A smile flicked at Trowa's lips, but before he could answer the door he had been formerly eying crashed open.

Within seconds the room's whole dynamic had changed. Four deathly pale vampires surrounded the bed and Trowa had forcefully thrown himself between their fang filled smiles and Quatre.

For a moment nothing seemed to happen. All four vampires stood their ground while Trowa contemplated his next move, absurdly scared with Quatre squirming behind him in confusion and tangled bed sheets.

After the long bout of silence a vampire with auburn hair and dark eyes spoke. "We are here for Mr. Winner."

Trowa shook his head slowly. "No fucking way-"

Quatre had finally disentangled himself from the sheets and grabbed Trowa's shoulders before the man could attack. "Why?" he asked in a level tone. The vampire sighed, annoyed with the seemingly frail human's question.

Another vampire, to the right of the auburn haired one, spoke up with a menacing smirk wrapping his pale features. "Trust us, you don't want to know."

Trowa's muscles rippled with anger. "Don't you dare touch him!-"

"Enough!" The head vampire bellowed, his eyes narrowing. "No more talking." His head twitched downwards in a nodding motion and all four vampires moved in a frighteningly rapid motion.

Trowa's forearms were grabbed by granite hard fists and his whole body was dragged from the bed as if he were a mere rag doll. His bones felt as if they would snap under the pressure as his arms were twisted unnaturally behind his back and forced upwards causing his torso to bend towards the floor at a right angle. Looking up through his mussed, umber bangs Trowa felt his stomach lurch as he saw Quatre being wrestled from the bed in a similar manner.

As one of the vampires drew a length of white cord from his coat and began wrapping Quatre's wrists in an expert fashion, the auburn haired leader made his way towards Trowa's helpless form. His fingers were ice cold as they grabbed hold of the shifter's chin and roughly pulled his head up to look at him in appraisal. Slowly he turned his vision to the struggling Quatre and then back to Trowa, giving him a look of disgust. "Honestly, Mr. Winner, I don't know what you see in this mutt."

Quatre began to angrily protest, but a piece of cloth was pulled viciously into his mouth, muffling his words. With all his might Trowa tried to pull away from his capture, but his wrists barely budged from the handcuff like grip. The auburn haired vampire released Trowa's face and gave him a hard tap on the cheek. With a loud growl of anger and humiliation the shifter twisted his arms painfully and wrenched himself free.

Impulse ran through his body like lightning and he could not stop the burning and chilling sensations that ran down his spine as his body morphed into it's hound-like state.

But within seconds Trowa realized his critical mistake as a leather collar was snapped tightly around his neck.

"No!" he yelled, but all that came out was a muffled yelp. The world spun in front of his shifted eyes. He had played into their hands, into his one true weakness as a shifter. With the collar around his neck there was no way of shifting back into human form.

"Did you really think vampires would ignorant enough not to know your weakness, mongrel?" The head vampire gave a loud laugh, his fangs glinting evilly in the moonlight. Trowa ran towards Quatre in one last desperate attempt to free him, but his captures were already dragging the his petite frame through the open doorway.

_Where the hell are Wufei and Hilde? _Trowa thought to himself as his body was thrown helplessly against the wall mid-stride. The auburn haired vampire gave another malicious laugh before closing the bedroom door behind him with a loud slam. There was sound of something heavy being pushed against the entrance to prevent Trowa from freeing himself too soon...and then...silence.

* * *

to be continued...

* * *

A/N: Does this chapter at all make up for the long months I have not updated? Hopefully. Thanks for any and all support guys :)


	11. Blood Penalties

**Bite Me**

_**Chapter 10: Blood Penalties**_

_AC 201. 20. June_

_0000 hours [Midnight]_

_Earth - Sanc Kingdom_

Duo's sleepy, violet eyes peeled open to gaze up into a stony, pale face.

"Mmm, hi there..." He brought a weak hand up to wrap his fingers around Heero's neck and pull his lips towards his own, but the vampire pulled away.

"There's no time for that right now, Duo." Heero's voice sounded strained and anxious.

Duo's lips stayed slightly parted as he stared up at the man atop him in confusion. "Heero...?"

"Duo," the vampire interrupted. "There are..._people_ downstairs."

"People?" Duo's eyebrows furrowed.

Heero sighed. "Do you remember when Trowa was mentioning the consequences behind my actions earlier?"

Duo nodded slowly and Heero went on, his voice stressed, his words fast. "The people downstairs are Kushrenada's men...and they are coming upstairs...for _me_."

"What!" Duo began trying to remove his body from beneath Heero's. "When-"

There was a loud, authoritative knock on the front door. Heero's eyes hardened. "_Now_."

In a flash Heero had removed himself from the cozy coffin, pulling on his clothes in a haphazard rush of movement. "Duo. You need to stay in here." He fixed the braided man with a serious stare. "I mean it."

"But Heero, what the hell is going on?" Duo clumsily brought his legs around over the side of the coffin and none-too-gracefully hopped down to the floor, his muscles weak and still lethargic.

Heero moved forward and locked his fingers around Duo's wrists, staring stoically at the shifter's unnaturally pale skin and the two small holes resting passionately on his lean neck. "Stay put. Please. _For me_."

Duo swallowed. "Heero, please tell me what's going on."

There was another knock on the door, this time less patient.

"There's not time for that. Trust me, Duo. _Stay here_." Heero's voice was soft, but firm as he looked powerfully into Duo's concerned eyes. The shifter nodded once, hesitantly.

Without another word, Heero rushed from the room, closing the door behind him, leaving Duo in near darkness, a small crack underneath the door letting in a small beam of glowing light.

* * *

Heero took a steadying breath and opened the door, keeping his face as emotionless as possible.

In the hallway stood three men, all older, taller, and broader than he. Their skin was a translucent, pale hugh, their eyes sunken, and their frowning mouths holding shining, powerful pairs of fangs.

"Hello Mr. Yuy," said the one closest to him, his hair a dark auburn. Without waiting for a reply, all three vampires flew past the entryway and entered into Heero's small apartment.

Heero turned slowly, irritation boiling within him. The auburn haired vampire gave him a charming smile from his perch on Heero's table. "I assume you already know why we're here?"

Heero's eyes narrowed in annoyance at the man's arrogant attitude. "Yes."

"Ah, good! So I trust you will be coming peacefully then?" The man clasped his skinny, white hands together and grinned maniacally.

"Coming peacefully? Where?" Heero's brows furrowed. This was not what he was expecting. A rap on the knuckles from some of Kushrenada's finest, but not having to possibly deal with the King himself.

The auburn haired man grinned wider. "Why, your trial of course! On L5-A0207...we have a shuttle waiting as we speak."

"Trial? What the hell are you talking about?-"

"You've broken Vampire Law, Mr. Yuy." The older vampire hopped casually from the table and walked towards Heero, bending down to be eye level with his scowling face. "And you must be reprimanded for your actions." He brought his willowy fingers up to Heero's cheek, a wild look in his dark eyes. "What a treat Lord Kushrenada has in store for you...not a punishment by any means...in my opinion at least."

"Get away from me!" Heero pushed the man's hand away from his face in anger. "I don't have to go anywhere-"

A soft rustlingly noise from the bedroom caught all four vampire's attentions. Heero's eyes widened a fraction of an inch. _No...Duo...no!_

The auburn haired vampire turned back to Heero, a sick smirk wrapping his features. "I see we are not alone."

Before Heero could move he felt his arms being pinned by the stronger vampire, the other two dragging a struggling and grunting Duo from the bedroom.

"Let...go...of...me! You fucking morons!" Though Duo was no match for the two vampires holding onto his arms in vice like grips, he was even weaker than usual due to Heero's literal blood lust. The men just laughed at his thrashing body.

The auburn haired man dug his fingers into Heero's rock hard biceps painfully, lowering his mouth next to his ear. "And who is this?" His eyes followed Heero's sad gaze and noticed the bite marks on Duo's neck, half hidden by his mussed braid. "A midnight snack?"

Heero held his ground, but did not try to fight back. "Please...don't hurt him."

The vampire behind him laughed softly. "Well...my orders are strictly to retrieve you. Treize did not mention anything about any _pets_ we might find."

"Let me the hell go!" Duo growled. His eyes focused in front of him, connecting with Heero's for a moment before glazing over completely, heat rising through his body. But he was snapped out of his pre-shift by Heero's sharp words.

"Duo, no!" Heero nearly bit his tongue after the words left his mouth. But it was better than having Duo shift right in front of Kushrenada's men. It was much more desirable to have them think that Duo was just a simple human he amused himself with, than a shifter...their supposed enemy.

Eyes shifting between the two, the auburn haired vampire decided to ignore the outburst, to Heero's relief. "Well now...though it's tempting to stick around and play with your little, warm blooded friend...I have my orders. Have you decided to come peacefully, Mr. Yuy?"

Duo's eyes widened. "Wait...Heero, where are they taking you?" He began to struggle harder now, still not even slipping a bit in the vampire's grasps.

"I have a trial, Duo." He flexed his muscles in annoyance. "And I don't have a choice."

"Heero, you can't just leave!" Duo's voice was suddenly much more nervous. "I-I'm coming with you!"

"No! You are not," Heero replied, his voice stony. He twisted a bit to face his capture somewhat. "I'll go...peacefully."

"Good," the vampire cooed. "That's what I like to hear." He began to pull Heero towards the door and the two vampires holding Duo released him, allowing his feeble body to drop to the floor.

"Heero...no..." Duo's mind raced as he watched the vampires exiting the small apartment.

"Duo, go to the Mansion," Heero's words were firm yet uncertain as he was forcibly dragged towards the door. "You'll be safe there. Stay with Trowa...please." These were the last words Duo heard from the vampire as he and his captures disappeared from the room leaving Duo on his knees, tears of fear and confusion resting precariously behind tightly closed lids.

* * *

_AC 201. 20. June_

_0100 hours [1:00 am]_

_Earth - Sanc Kingdom - Peacecraft Mansion_

Duo stood at the Mansion's front door, his knees weak, his mind clouded. The only thing he was sure of, was that he was going to follow Heero's orders.

He brought a shaking hand up to knock on the door, his id card still missing. But when his knuckles came in contact with the wood, the door creaked open on it's own.

Duo's foggy thoughts suddenly cleared as he peaked into the front entryway. Everything was dark and quiet. "Hello? 'Fei? Hild?" His concerned voice echoed down the hallway as he entered the Mansion, closing the door behind him. There was no response.

Slowly he made his way down the hallway towards the Preventer office and Winner Suite.

The scene he came upon was horrific.

Wufei sat propped against the wall, his eyes weak slits above his gagged mouth, fangs protruding helplessly over the cloth wrapped tightly around his head. What looked like thin silver chains had been wound about his wrists and ankles, his socks and boots having been removed so that his skin took the brunt of the searing metal.

Hilde lay sprawled next to him, her Preventer uniform ripped and wrinkled on her petite frame. A thin trail of blood protruded from a small cut on her forehead and she seemed to be unconscious.

"What the hell-" Duo rushed to Wufei's side and removed the gag as quickly as possible, minding his sharp fangs.

"Get the chains off...please, Maxwell," Wufei's voice was strained, but surprisingly calm. His eyes followed Duo's nervous fingers as they pulled at the silver chains around his wrists.

Wufei tensed and closed his eyes tight in pain. Duo, as careful as possible, found the end of the chain and began to lift it from the vampire's skin. A trail of sticky flesh and blood stuck to the thin metal as it left Wufei's arms. There were deep rifts in his skin left from the burning chains, but seconds after the silver was removed they began to dissolve back into normal, granite hard flesh.

As soon as his restraints were removed Wufei flexed his muscles and then darted to Hilde's side to be sure she was alright. Duo was about to follow his lead when he heard a whining noise coming from within the Winner Suite. He stood still for a moment, listening. Then there came a sharp scratching at the large door, muffled by a large mahogany chest of drawers set in front of it.

"'Fei, what happened here?" Duo whispered in Wufei's direction, but his attention was now focussd on pushing the large chest out of the door's way.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Wufei gently lifting Hilde's petite head into his lap and stroking the dried blood from her dark hair. For once in his life, Duo was finally seeing Wufei's compassionate side...and it had to be at such an inopportune time.

Carefully Duo turned the door knob and scanned the dark room. Where were Quatre and Trowa? He took a few steps into the bedroom and then was suddenly attacked, being pushed to the ground by a large dog that he recognized immediately.

"Trowa?" Duo looked into the dog's deep, green eyes. There was a sadness floating in their depths, as if his heart had been forcibly wrenched form his body. "What happened?"

The hound whined quietly, lifting his chin up to show off a leather collar strapped tightly to his neck. For a moment Duo stared at him in confusion until Trowa began to whine more profusely. As fast as his nervous fingers could move Duo unfastened the collar and within seconds the hound was shifting back into its human form.

Trowa sat, awkwardly trying to hide his body from Duo's vision, and stared, not able to form words. The braided man looked into his green eyes once more and found the same sadness he had seen moments before. "What happened Tro?"

Trowa pursed his lips, fighting every emotion he was feeling. Slowly he breathed out and closed his eyes, but answered quietly. "They took him. They took Quatre."

* * *

_AC 201. 20. June_

_0300 hours [3:00 am]_

_Space - Colony L5-A0207_

Treize Kushrenada rested lazily on his elaborate throne, staring down at his fellow vampires, a sly smile on his thin lips.

The makeshift courtroom was elegant. It's ceiling boasted multiple crystal chandeliers, their low light creating lacy patterns about the room. Surrounding Kushrenada were many glass tables, velvet armchairs, chaises, tapestries and upholstered couches, all lined with decadently dressed vampires, all adorned with jewels and expensive fabrics, their fangs proudly displayed.

A pair of white gloved fingers played at Kushrenada's temple as he gazed out onto his estate with a sense of pride and excitement. A sudden movement next to his seat attracted his attention.

"I've just received word that they have arrived, sir." Dorothy Catalonia's silky voice tangled into his thoughts. He turned his head a fraction to gaze at the young vampire. She was wearing a floor length, black dress. The fabric shimmered and clung to every curve of her body and made her red lips and long, blond hair stand out against it's shadowy appearance.

"Thank you, Dorothy." He turned away from her coldly before any other conversation could ensue between them. His eyes narrowed and scanned the room before his voice boomed through the expansive space. "The time has come. Finally the wait is over!"

As if at his command the large, engraved doors at the very end of the room opened to reveal three vampires; two, servants, and one a prisoner.

Heero's complexion was especially pale and his fangs hung over his flushed lips unusually. The scowl he wore on his face created unnatural shadows over his skin and eyes. He looked dead...or at least deader than usual.

"Ah, Heero Yuy!" Kushrenada roared as Heero made his way down the small aisle past the many prying eyes of his fellow vampires. "So good of you to come."

"You act as if I had a choice, Treize," Heero replied, with a fake tone of kindness.

Kushrenada smirked. "Such a snide remark from a man in your position."

Heero's eyes narrowed as he took in his surroundings carefully. His lips trembled with fury and knowing, but he went on with his time-wasting query. "Tell me, Treize...what position am I in exactly?"

The lavish vampire let out a loud laugh, regality hiding the small hint of icy incredulity in it's deep timbre. The other vampires watching the spectacle before them joined in Treize's enjoyment, but the laughter soon died out and Heero could feel all of their eyes penetrating his back...waiting.

For the first time since Heero had made his forced entrance, Kushrenada rose from his seated position and walked down the few velvet steps until he was face to face with the younger vampire. "Heero Yuy." He paused, as if for dramatic effect. "You are a murderer."

Heero's teeth ground together and his mouth opened to retort, but the back of Treize's gloved hand hit his jaw like a rock, sending him reeling in unexpected pain.

"Do not try to deny it!" Kushrenada was yelling now, fury and embarrassment regarding the death of one of his finest radiating off of his lean frame. No more pleasantries it seemed.

The Vampire King circled Heero like a lion eyeing it's prey. "What do you have to say for yourself, Heero Yuy?"

As Heero's split lip healed slowly back together, he contemplated his next move. "Raphael brought it upon himself. He had fair warning. But he still attempted to kill an innocent...human-"

Treize turned on the smaller vampire, his eyes burning dark. "How dare you come into my presence and try to defend a human's life!" His rage filled voice echoed throughout the still and silent room. "A vampire's life verses a human's? How dare you even consider it! You are a vampire...your kind shall always come first!"

"No!" Heero's temper was rising and his resolve breaking. "I could not stand by and watch him take an innocent's life! I did not want bloodshed of any kind, but there was no other way!"

Kushrenada stared deep into Heero's eyes, as if trying to understand how he could possibly betray his own kind...his own maker...but then, a spark. Treize's pale lips turned upwards into a cruel smile. "I see. This 'innocent human'...it is more than just a human, isn't it?" Heero tensed. "You are attached to it...or is it that _it_ is attached to _you_?"

Heero's jaw locked and his eyes darted to the floor. He could lie, but what good would that do? He would be found out in the end...Duo had the fang marks to prove everything. "I..." He hesitated, still unsure. The room's air was thinning from the intensity. "He...he is mine...and...I am his."

The room immediately began to buzz with whispers, laughter, and shock from the many spectating vampires. "Enough!" Treize's voice boomed, causing the space to become instantly silent once more.

He brought his thin, gloved fingers to Heero's chin and lifted it to meet his own face. "I don't give a damn who this human is, or why you chose to defend him the way you did." His lips pursed for a moment, controlling the anger brewing beneath his surface. "All I know is that you have broken Vampire Law and therefore must be punished."

Kushrenada raised his free hand to shoulder height and snapped his fingers once, the noise easily heard through the terrified silence in the room. He bent his head forward to look Heero straight in the eyes, the shadows of the room causing his face to become gaunt and hollow looking. "Heero Yuy, you owe us a life."

Heero turned nervously as the engraved doors at the end of the room opened once more to reveal two large vampires dragging a small, struggling person between them. Slowly the three made their way down the small aisle towards Heero's ever widening eyes.

Within seconds the terrified looking body was thrown at his feet, every one of his limbs shaking, but no tears marring his petite, pallid face. Aquamarine eyes looked up at him imploringly, but held what bit of self composure and strength the man had left in his soul.

Heero's lips trembled as he gazed down at the man that was to be the subject of a punishment that should be all his own.

He opened his mouth to speak, but the only word that came out was a soft, nearly non-existent murmur.

"...Quatre."

* * *

to be continued...

* * *

**A/N:** I know...another long wait. Well, sometimes time just gets away from me...I know that's not an excuse...but hey, if you're still interested leave a review! But don't worry, I'm still loving/writing this story, it just takes some time sometimes :) Well anyways...Happy Holidays! Hope you enjoyed this little gift from me! More to come soon!

EDIT: Decided to lower this rating from M back to T...not really sure why I changed it in the first place...12/24/10


	12. Waiting For the Sun to Go Down

**A/N:** I don't love this chapter...it's so much of a filler...and it's shorter than usual...but oh well, at least I'm updating pretty quickly, right? I promise more from the next chapter. As always reviews are appreciated...enjoy

* * *

**Bite Me**

_**Chapter 11: Waiting For the Sun to Go Down**_

_AC 201. 20. June_

_0315 hours [3:15 am]_

_Space - Colony L5-A0207_

Heero stared down at the frail Quatre Winner. "No. No...no, no, no."

His emotions bubbled into his throat, his composure completely lost now. Spinning, Heero hit Treize full force in the chest, sending the older vampire sprawling on the velvet steps behind them. Heero was atop him at once, his eyes dripping with fury and vengeance, his fangs glistening in the chandeliers' low light.

He sunk his sharp teeth into Kushrenada's granite hard neck, tearing at the skin, causing droplets of deep red to run from the wounds. The scene only lasted mere seconds, however, before strong hands were grabbing and pulling Heero off of Treize forcefully.

Kushrenada stood from his slumped position. His eyes were blank, but his mouth curved into a wicked smirk. There seemed to be only amusement in his face, not anger like Heero expected.

"I forgot how impulsive you can be, Heero." Treize walked towards the struggling vampire. Heero lunged towards him, but the vampire's holding him did not let him get more than a few centimeters closer to their Vampire King.

Kushrenada brought a slim finger up to Heero's mouth and wiped a bit of his own, shining blood from his lips. He studied the scarlet as it soaked into the tip of his white gloved appendage. Heero watched his bizarre actions silently, noticing as Treize's neck began to heal, the skin melting back together ominously.

Treize's hand graced Heero's jaw at the place where he had been backhanded earlier. The younger vampire braced himself for a similar hit, but it never came.

Kushrenada leaned forward to look deep into Heero's eyes. "If you do not wish to follow the punishment laid out for you, I will be more than happy to turn Mr. Winner myself...but I can assure you it will be a most unpleasant experience for him."

Heero's teeth clenched in anger, but his head hung forward in shame. No matter what he did, Quatre's fate was sealed. He took a steadying breath and faced Treize once more. "I...I will turn him."

Kushrenada's lips curled into a sickening smile. "Wise choice."

The vampire's released their grips on Heero who flexed his muscles, but did not move from his position practically underneath Treize's piercing stare. A small rustling behind him attracted all the attention in the room away from the two tense vampires.

"H-Heero..." Quatre's small voice rang out through the sharp silence.

Heero watched as Treize's smile widened and then he turned slowly to look down into the surprisingly calm face of Quatre Winner. Neither spoke, but their eyes connected, Heero's stiff body melting as Quatre's sadness seemed to soak right through him.

His fists clenched, Heero turned to face Kushrenada once more. "Why, Treize? Why him?"

"That answer is quite simple." Treize made his way towards Quatre, Heero's eyes following him closely. "You see, Heero..." The tip of the vampires boot found it's way softly beneath Quatre's chin and lifted up slightly causing his small neck to strain and his eyes to meet the Vampire King's. "He is a pacifist."

Heero's eyes widened incredulously. "Treize are you insane? He is not the only pacifist in the world! And what will this prove anyways-"

Kushrenada's eyes burned passionately. "This is just the beginning, Heero Yuy. The war I have been waiting for...this will be the spark...a war to end all wars. We will show the humans that vampires are superior. Let them sit back and watch as one of their almighty pacifists becomes one of their most feared."

Heero took a step forward, causing the vampires around him to tense, ready for action. "Quatre has done nothing to you or any of us. Please...Treize we do not need another war. The legislation passed, we are all equals. A war will just cause more problems-"

"No!" Treize's voice deepened and he removed his attention from Quatre and glared down at Heero. "I could have chosen another pacifist...Miss Peacecraft might have been preferable...but Mr. Winner just seemed to work out better." His eyes drifted back to the petite blond man. "And besides...he sleeps with a shape-shifting bastard-"

Heero lunged, instincts overriding judgment. His strong fist stretched out before him, ready to strike, but Treize was ready. Heero's arm was grabbed and pulled taught. Within seconds he was being spun painfully, his own arm wrapping around his throat in a choke hold controlled by Kushrenada.

"Now, now Heero...we must learn to control our emotions," Treize whispered into his ear mockingly.

Heero struggled, but it only made the older vampire strengthen his grip and pull the choke hold tighter. "Treize..."

"Enough talk," Kushrenada responded, his voice cold. "Your punishment begins..._now_." He threw Heero to his knees sharply, only a foot from Quatre's weak form.

Treize kneeled next to the two, an excited glow on his face. He ran a slim finger along Quatre's jaw and lifted his chin once more, looking deep into his aquamarine eyes. "Quatre Winner..." He directed the man's gaze in Heero's direction forcefully. "Meet your maker..."

* * *

_AC 201. 20. June_

_0130 hours [1:30 am]_

_Earth - Sanc Kingdom - Peacecraft Mansion_

The woman's voice coming through the television was hollow and robotic as she read off the newest breaking news to the entire Earth Sphere. _"Pacifist, CEO President, and head of the Maganac-Preventer Sector, Quatre Raberba Winner, was abducted late last night from the Peacecraft Estate in the Sanc Kingdom. Sources tell us that he was visiting Vice Foreign Minister, Relena Peacecraft, to discuss new equality policies regarding the ever growing non-human population throughout the ESUN. It is reported that he and his guards were unharmed during the apprehension. Preventer forces are doing everything in their power to secure his whereabouts, but no more information has been released...In other news-"_

"'Ever growing non-human population,'" Wufei scoffed as he turned the small television off. "They're still so afraid to use the words vampire and shifter."

"Most people are unaware of the existence of shape-shifters, Wufei," Trowa answered blankly.

Wufei's eyes rolled. "Hn...still, they should use the proper terms."

Duo's teeth ground together. "That's not important right now. We need to find out where Quatre is and where those vampires took Heero."

Trowa lifted his eyes from Hilde's still sleeping form. "What did the vampires who took Heero look like?"

Duo thought for a moment. "There were three of them. Two were pretty ordinary, brown hair, dark eyes. But the other had a reddish tint to his hair-"

Immediately Trowa's vision shifted to Wufei. "Could both abductions be related? Could those vampires have taken both Heero and Quatre?"

Wufei shrugged. "I don't see why not...but it doesn't make sense. Why was Quatre taken? Heero I understand; Kushrenada enforces his laws strictly..." the vampire paused for a moment, his mouth half open. "...He enjoys watching the punishments..." His head rose and looked from Duo to Trowa. "I know what Heero's punishment is."

Both shifters stared at him in anticipation.

Wufei retracted his fangs sadly. "It's...Quatre."

* * *

_AC 201. 20. June_

_0330 hours [3:30 am]_

_Space - Colony L5-A0207_

Heero placed a steadying hand on Quatre's shoulder. "I-I'm sorry..."

Quatre shook his head. "There's nothing to apologize for, Heero," he whispered. "If it wasn't you...it would be someone else...and I'd rather it be you."

Heero gazed at him solemnly. "But you shouldn't be in this position in the first place."

"There's nothing we can do about that now," the blond replied, keeping his emotions at bay. He took a deep breath and straightened his spine, but his lips trembled when he spoke. "But...I'm still scared."

Heero's shoulders slumped and he felt his deadened heart ache slightly. He looked up at Treize's shadowy figure, knowing if they did not proceed soon, more problems would ensue. He returned his focus to Quatre. "Do you trust me?"

Quatre hesitated for only a second. "Yes."

Slowly Heero moved closer to the sitting man and laid Quatre's neck into his hand, bending it to expose the soft, white skin.

"Do it...now, Heero," Treize murmured from above, his voice full of sly anticipation.

Heero bent forward and grazed his fangs against Quatre's warm neck. He heard the small man whimper softly and felt his body tense. With regret running through his veins Heero closed his eyes...and bit.

* * *

_AC 201. 20. June_

_0200 hours [2:00 am]_

_Earth - Sanc Kingdom - Peacecraft Mansion_

"It is out of the question!" Wufei bellowed, his fists clenching. "You will never get past the front gates...hell you wouldn't even make it onto the colony itself! You are shifters, _not_ vampires. Don't forget that."

"Wufei, this is ridiculous!" Duo yelled right back, walking towards the vampire, anger in his eyes.

"Actually, I quite agree with Wufei." Relena Peacecraft's voice floated into the room quietly. All three turned to face her in surprise.

"But Princess, you don't understand!" Duo began, but stopped when she held up a delicate hand.

"I am aware of the situation," she replied. "I understand completely. You cannot travel to Colony L5-A0207. I need my Preventers here."

"But Relena," Trowa interrupted. "Quatre is _my_ responsibility. He is _my_ charge."

"And you know quite well that Quatre would never allow it. It's much too dangerous," Relena said, reason and a bit of fire in her tone.

"Thank you, Relena." Wufei nodded towards her with a small, victorious smile.

She turned to him. "Now...I don't fully approve of your plans to visit the colony either. But someone must go...and considering you're really the only one capable of entering the colony I give you my full permission and use of my private shuttle."

Wufei followed Relena out of the room, a pleasant glint in his dark eyes.

"It's so unfair," Duo ranted.

Trowa gave him a pointed look. "But it does make sense. We _are_ shifters."

Duo did not respond, though in his mind he did agree with the man. He folded his arms and felt a rush of anger flow through his body. He should have done something...this was his fault after all. If it wasn't for him Raphael would still be alive and Heero would still be here and safe.

Trowa's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Duo...what is that on your neck?" His eyes narrowed. "Are those...bite marks?"

Duo brought a hand up to his neck, feeling the two clotted marks carefully. How could he have forgotten about them? "Um...no."

Trowa rushed to his side and pulled his hand away. His eyes scrutinized the fang marks and his jaw clenched. "Heero bit you?"

"Trowa, it's not what you think!" Duo was backpedaling. "I _let_ him!"

"He _fed_ off of you?" Trowa asked incredulously. He ran his fingers over the small holes. Duo turned away from him, his cheeks suddenly blushing. Trowa's fingers moved to his chin and pulled his vision back towards him. "Duo?"

"Yes! Okay! Is that so bad!" Duo trembled and his eyes burned with unshed tears. "I-I love him! I love him, Trowa!"

In shock, Trowa wrapped an unsteady arm around Duo, unsure how to respond. The braided man clung to his fellow shifter, all composure lost now. "And...and I'm so scared for him."

Slowly, Trowa patted Duo's shoulder, comforting him as best he could. His eyes dropped and his lips quivered for only a second before he responded. "I understand."

* * *

_AC 201. 20. June_

_0500 hours [5:00 am]_

_Space - Colony L5-A0207_

Quatre's body was prone and extremely pale...paler than even a vampire's skin should be. His petite lips were a terrifying shade of blue and there was not a single heartbeat to be found in his body. If anyone else saw him in this state they would say he was dead...very dead. But, unfortunately, Heero knew that it was quite the opposite.

He looked out the shuttle's window, gazing at the deep black of space as it traveled by at an amazing speed. He could make out the blue-green of earth and the white halo of clouds surrounding it. They would be home soon.

Heero's mind raced as he remembered what Treize Kushrenada had said to him. _"It will be a race against the sun after you land, Heero. Better not hesitate too much in finding a proper place to rest with our newest vampire."_

His eyes darkened as he thought about the pleased smirk that had graced Kushrenada's lips as he presented the nearly drained Quatre Winner to him. Heero brought his fingers up to his mouth to brush some of the dried blood from their surface, knowing he would never be able to rid himself of the horrible memories created not long ago.

His gaze turned back to Quatre, remnants of Heero's own blood gracing his dead looking features. Guilt washed over him as he remembered having to force his blood down the poor man's throat.

But for the moment he could not let regret blind him from finishing his dreaded task. Quatre literally needed to come back from the dead. So once they reached earth, Heero would bury himself with the small blond beneath the ground so that the vampire process could take full effect.

Then all he could do was wait for the sun to go down once more.

* * *

to be continued...

* * *

**A/N:** P.S. - This chapter is dedicated to all my readers, but specifically Demise Angel for all the support and reviews that always make me smile and the "subtle" hints for me to update more often ;) Thank you for being such a great fan!


	13. Vampire Rising

**Bite Me**

_**Chapter 12: Vampire Rising**_

_AC 201. 20. June_

_1300 hours [1:00 pm]_

_Space - Colony L5-A0207_

Treize Kushrenada sat in his spacious office gazing out his floor to ceiling window at the never ending nighttime of the colony. A pleased smile graced his lips as he mulled over his recent accomplishments that would soon set into motion what he had been anticipating most.

A knock on the door broke through his thoughts. "My Lord...you have a visitor." Dorothy Catalonia opened the door a crack to reveal her concerned face and a shadowy figure behind her.

Treize narrowed his eyes, but nodded his head in consent, causing Dorothy to open the door further, allowing the strange visitor to enter the office, his face finally coming into focus.

"Wufei Chang." Treize's voice was full of suspicion and confusion. "To what do I owe the...pleasure?"

Wufei's fists curled, but he kept his temper. "Treize...I believe you already know why I am here."

Kushrenada's eyes lightened and his mouth formed a small grin. "Please...enlighten me."

Control gone, Wufei slammed his hands down on the desk separating himself from the Vampire King. "Where are Heero and Quatre!"

"Ah, now I understand." Treize leaned forward. "Playing hero, Chang?"

Wufei's lips curled into a sneer and with a growl his fangs snapped out.

In a flash Treize had his fingers hovering over a small button, mahogany to blend in with the rest of the desk. "Don't force me to bring in my guards. Unnecessary violence is not what I want."

"Just tell me where they are," Wufei hissed in response.

"I can't do that," Kushrenada answered, his voice low. "I, myself, am unaware of their location."

Wufei's jaw clenched. "Treize..."

"You think I'm lying?" he laughed softly. "Why would I want to hide my best instrument?"

"Instrument...?"

"War instrument, Chang," he replied with a psychotic glint in his eyes. "Can't you appreciate the beauty of it? A war between vampires and humans."

Wufei's eyes narrowed. "A war? Treize how can you think-"

Kushrenada's fingers tapped angrily against the top of his desk, his lips quivering. "Of course you do not understand. I should have known better. Wufei Chang, Preventer, aide to the Vice Foreign Minister...advocate of human-vampire relations."

Shame in the face of Treize Kushrenada shattered the vampire's composure. "Please...Quatre Winner is an innocent man-"

"From your perspective maybe," Treize growled. "He is a pacifist and will be the fist step in my pre-fabricated war."

"No...Treize, this is a mistake," Wufei whispered, his eyes meeting with Kushrenada's dark, unforgiving features.

Treize sat back, a smug look on his still anger filled face. "You have no power over my decisions."

Wufei bit his tongue, his mind reeling. But he had to do it...he had to use his last resort, no matter how horrible he felt about it. "Treize...I-I can get you two shifters...two _Preventer shifters_."

Kushrenada's attention was caught for only a moment before he fought the temptation. "Trying to bargain with me, Chang? I'm sorry, but it's a little late for that." He smiled, a sickening gleam in his eyes. "The deed is already done. In several hours Quatre Winner will be one of us."

Emotions snapping, Wufei lunged and Treize's finger hit the emergency button. Within seconds the younger vampire's arms were pinned painfully behind his back, his muscles straining ineffectively against the guards. "Treize, do you realize what you've done!"

Kushrenada walked towards the struggling man. "I do realize. I have created the conflict I've been dreaming of...and now you will be my first prisoner of war."

"What?" Wufei was being dragged from the room, his eyes wide in shock. "You can't hold me...you have no reason!"

"You are a human serving traitor! That is reason enough," Treize answered, his voice harsh, his lips pursed in a sly smirk. It was all fitting together now...just as he had planned.

* * *

_AC 201. 20. June_

_1930 hours [7:30 pm]_

_Earth - Sanc Kingdom - Peacecraft Mansion_

Duo slowly began to awake from the sleeping pill induced slumber that Trowa had insisted upon many hours earlier. He rubbed his eyes, stretching at the same time, allowing all of the memories from the previous day to float back into his mind gradually.

"Feel any better?" Trowa's soft voice made Duo jump, a shiver running down his spine. He turned his head to face the tall shifter peeking around the door to the small bedroom he was occupying in the Mansion. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

Duo shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment. "No, it's fine. It's me. I've been too..._jumpy_ lately." He brought his fingers up to squeeze his thumb and forefinger around the bridge of his nose.

Trowa stood back, watching Duo cautiously, his lips in a nearly permanent frown, his face worn and tired from lack of sleep and too much worry. "You haven't eaten anything for nearly twenty-four hours. I'm sure Pagan would fix you something."

Groaning, Duo fell back against the bed with a thump. "I can't eat right now."

An uncomfortable air began to fill the room. Trowa's eyes shifted from his braided companion, around the room slowly, and then back to the man. "I'm sure Wufei is doing everything he can-"

"Fuck that," Duo murmured through grit teeth. "None of this should be happening in the first place." He sighed, regret filling his mind immediately. "But...I do trust 'Fei."

Trowa's forehead creased behind his long bangs. "Duo...you can't blame yourself for any of this." He paused, studying his fellow shifter. "You know that, right?"

Duo rolled over onto his stomach, observing Trowa through one eye. "I don't know. But I do know that no matter how many people keep telling me that...I'm still going to feel guilty...regardless of anything."

With a sigh Trowa rubbed the back of his neck, staring at Duo regretfully. "Heero wouldn't want you feeling this way."

Duo turned his head sharply to look at Trowa through both eyes now. He chewed at the corner of his lower lip, picturing Heero's strained face as he was pulled away from him the night before. He furrowed his brows. "Like I said...regardless of anything."

Trowa decided not to prolong the tense conversation. "If you're not hungry, at least get out of this room. Hilde just made some coffee if you're interested."

Duo pushed his body upwards into a sitting position, his eyes drifting to the setting sunset outside his window. "Isn't it a little late for coffee?"

"According to your new sleep schedule, it _is_ breakfast time," Trowa answered, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Duo rolled his eyes in response and swung his pajama clad legs around allowing his feet to hit the ground softly. He stood up, stretching his muscles upwards and then picked up a clean, white t-shirt from an armchair next to Trowa, pulling it on quickly.

Trowa eyed him for a moment before turning and guiding him out of the room, down the hallway, and towards the Mansion's large kitchen. Hilde sat, hunched over a steaming mug, the glaring puce colored bruise on the side of her forehead highlighted by a sizable, bronze candelabra suspended high over the table.

Duo hovered nervously behind her, hesitance in his stance. Finally he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, causing her to turn around, a smile forming on her pale face. "You're up," she said with a soft happiness in her voice. "I made coffee."

Sadly, Duo gazed at her, running his fingers next to the painful looking bruise without actually coming in contact with it. "I'm sorry, Hild."

Hilde frowned. "Don't apologize. It was a cheap shot and it's my fault for not seeing it coming."

Duo actually laughed, choking through the tears that had been forming in his throat at the sight of his best friend. Trowa cleared his throat uncomfortably, drawing attention away from Hilde's injuries. Duo's smile did not vanish altogether, but did dissipate slightly as his mind was brought back to reality.

He turned to Trowa. "Have we heard anything from Wufei yet?"

The taller shifter sighed. "No. He should have arrived at the colony hours ago...it doesn't make sense."

"What if something's happened to him?" Duo's eyes went wide as he began jumping to conclusions.

Trowa shook his head slowly. "Wufei can handle himself."

"I thought Heero could handle himself too, Tro," he paused, stepping from Hilde towards the kitchen's large windows. He looked out onto the garden and the cherry blossom trees swaying slightly in the evening breeze. "But I'm not so sure anymore."

Trowa joined his braided companion, gazing outside as the sun finally sank below the horizon, leaving only a soft purple glow in the night sky. He placed a light hand on Duo's shoulder and immediately felt his muscles tense. "Duo...what 's wrong?"

Duo stiffened, staring through the window, his eyes widening. Slowly he brought a quivering finger up to point towards the garden. "What the fuck is that?"

Trowa's brows furrowed as he followed Duo's gaze. As his eyes began to adjust to the nighttime light his attention was caught by a shadowy movement coming from the ground beneath a cherry blossom tree.

Duo leaned closer to the window. "Is...is that a..._hand!_"

Ashen fingers broke through the soil surface, moving slowly, grabbing towards the sky. The skin was pale and appeared gray in the moonlight, sending a shiver down both shifter's spines as if they were watching death itself claw its way from the earth.

Trowa, not known to be as verbal with his thoughts as Duo, breathed out a gasp, soft words following it. "...holy shit."

Duo gave the taller man a slightly shocked look from the corner of his eye, but considering the hand digging its way out of the Mansion's garden he brushed it off. He ran his fingers nervously through his bangs, turned around to head for the side door, turned back to squint out the window once more and then face Trowa. "Fuck this."

This time when he turned around he actually opened the door to the back garden, Trowa following closely at his heals, hand on his shoulder holster. The night air was thick with humidity, yet both men held goose bumps on their arms and chills in their lungs.

Duo, who's assertive strides were slowly lessening as they got closer to the ominous loose soil beneath the cherry blossom tree, sighed and finally came to a stop, several feet from the pale hand now laying limp on surface. With Trowa at his side, he advanced cautiously towards the frail appendage.

Breathing heavily, Duo stepped forward, nudging the hand with the tip of his booted foot. When nothing happened both men gave each other confused looks. Turning back to the creepy appendage Duo kicked at it again and the fingers came to life, wrapping themselves around his ankle in a granite hard grip and pulled, causing him to stumble backwards. "Shit!" he yelled before he fell to the ground, the hand not releasing his leg, but only pulling harder.

Duo yelled out, clawing at the ground beneath him, trying to drag himself away from the hand, which was now turning into a wrist and a forearm as it began rising from the soil once again.

"Shit...Tro!" Shaking off the shock of the incident, Trowa fell to his knees and took hold of the deathly pale arm attached to Duo's leg. At the contact the emerging arm jerked away, obviously stunned and startled by the human touch. The fingers unraveled from around Duo's ankle, causing the shifter to backpedal as quickly as possible, putting a good three feet distance between himself and the anemic appendage.

Trowa held his ground, staring at the arm in curiosity. It had a familiarity to it; petite, soft, lean. The shifter's heart leapt into his throat as he sucked in a breath of air and watched as a second set of fingers appeared from beneath the soil.

The two hands began digging away the dirt between them, allowing for the rest of the being to raise itself from the earth. Trowa sat back on his haunches, hand hovering above his weapon, muscles ready in case of attack. His eyes were so focused on the thin creature crawling from the ground that he almost didn't see the second set of hands reaching out from under the soil only inches away.

"Trowa..." Duo whispered, terror in his voice. Trowa gave him a cautionary look from the corner of his eye, but said nothing.

Both men watched anxiously as the white figures emerged, the closest one to Trowa, faster than the other. His petite frame pulled itself out of the ground, the white skin covered in specs of dirt, his back to Trowa's wide eyes. The pallid man leaned over, resting on his hands and knees feebly, a coughing fit wracking his body.

"Trowa..." This time Duo's voice was high pitched and sounded more worried than frightened. Trowa turned to face him and took in the sight that Duo was sputtering about.

Heero Yuy, body covered in dirt, hair disheveled, and eyes dark and hollow was staring into Duo's white face without expression.

"Fuck...Heero, what-?" But Trowa's thin voice was drowned out by a chilling scream of agony coming from the frail creature sitting inches from Heero Yuy. Duo stared wide eyed and Trowa's heart began to shrivel as he once again eyed the pale yet familiar creature, even it's screams recognizable.

Within seconds he was at it's side, his warm palm only centimeters away from the body's exposed skin. "No! Trowa!" He heard Heero yelling, saw him lunge towards him with panic in his eyes, but it was too late.

Quatre Winner turned, a set of gruesome fangs slowly ripping their way out of his gums, scarlet blood running over his rosy lips and petite chin.

Trowa could only stare in shock before the newborn vampire pounced.

* * *

_to be continued..._

* * *

**A/N:** I know. I know, I know, I know. I'm not making any more promises on updates. They come when they do, and hopefully sooner rather than later. But, still, thank you bunches for the support! I appreciate it, truly!


	14. Secrets & Unanswered Questions

**Bite Me**

_**Chapter 13: Secrets & Unanswered Questions  
**_

_AC 201. 20. June_

_2000 hours [8:00 pm]_

_Earth - Sanc Kingdom - Peacecraft Mansion_

Duo Maxwell watched in horror as the events played out in slow motion mere feet from his wide eyes. Quatre's screams pierced through the fog of confusion and terror in his mind, but as the newborn vampire turned and set his bloodthirsty sights on Trowa's warm neck, a tingling spark flew through Duo's muscles. A hot flush came over his skin and his hands curled into fists as the now familiar feeling of shifting tensed his entire body.

Duo was just about to shut his eyes in preparation for the instinctive shift, but a flash before his vision distracted him as Heero darted to Trowa's aid, his pale skin almost invisible in the moonlight, his figure a blur as he flew by the shocked shifter.

A hollow gasp, followed by a pain filled howl escaped from Trowa's mouth as Quatre's small, but extremely powerful body pinned him to the cold ground beneath them. The vampire's sharp, white fangs glistened above Trowa's quivering neck and Quatre's wild eyes softened for a split second as he breathed in the shifter's familiar scent. But the memory was not enough to override the thirst for fresh, warm blood stabbing through his mind. Quatre's fangs had just pierced Trowa's delicate skin, giving the vampire a taste of his seductive blood, before Heero pounced on his newly made "offspring."

In an instant a strong arm around Quatre's waist had hurled him backwards into the soft earth he had emerged from moments earlier. Heero placed himself between the hungry vampire and his fellow Preventers, a pair of strong palms halting both parties.

"What the fuck is going on Heero?" Duo took a step towards him, but Heero's glaring eyes stopped him dead in his tracks. "Duo, stay back. You too Trowa." Duo's limbs still trembled with adrenalin, but the warning was unneeded for the other Preventer. Trowa's entire body was stiff and unmoving, a foreign look of fear on his usually stoic face.

"Duo!" Everyone's attention turned to the petite female frame running towards them. Hilde's face was flushed and confused as she grew closer to the odd looking situation, her gaze fixed on Quatre's trembling figure.

Heero grimaced and his brows furrowed. "Do not move, Hilde," he ordered through clenched teeth. The woman stopped where she was, but held out a small white box towards Duo and Trowa, her eyes staying fixed on the two dirt ridden vampires before her. In a soft voice she murmured, "First aid kit."

Heero rolled his eyes, lowering his hands as the tension began to lift. "A first aid kit?" He scoffed, though Duo grabbed it from her, giving Heero a disapproving glare while searching for a bandage to cover the two, already clotting, bite marks on Trowa's neck.

Duo inched towards Trowa, who had still not moved an inch, and placed a bit of gauze against the small wounds. "You okay, Tro?" Duo whispered, but his fellow shifter did not answer, he just kept his eyes glued to Quatre, Trowa's own blood still shimmering on his lips.

Frustrated, Duo turned his attention back to Heero. "Tell me what is going on," he growled, his inner shifting impulses racing through his muscles. With a rough sigh, Heero took a step towards his braided companion, but this movement caused Quatre's new found calm to break and he pounced yet again towards Trowa. But this time Heero was ready, throwing him to the ground with one strong push, his dark eyes finding Quatre's bloodshot ones. "Stay," he commanded, his fangs emerging with a sinister pop. The newborn vampire nodded slowly, and with a painful wince, pulled his own fangs back into hiding beneath his sore gums.

Heero spun to gaze at the three Preventers staring at him. Hilde, nervous, Duo, angry, and Trowa still in shock. "Now is not a good time for explanations."

"Hell no, Heero, not this time. I want answers-"

"Duo." His glare was piercing. "I am not negotiating." Before Duo had any time to respond, Heero had already stooped down to Quatre, grabbing his arm and forcing him to stand. "Let's go, Quatre." Within seconds Heero was heading away from the Peacecraft grounds at a pace no ordinary human could keep up with. Quatre hesitated for a mere second, his eyes softening as he gazed sadly upon the three people before him. People he knew to be his friends in another life. But then, as if there was an invisible line attaching him to Heero, he took off in the same direction as his siring vampire.

Duo let loose an animalistic growl from his throat. "I'm going after them."

For the first time since Quatre's attack, Trowa moved, placing a strong hand on Duo's quivering shoulder. "No. Let them go."

"What?" Duo turned towards him, a frown on his face. "Don't you want to know what the hell happened to Quatre?"

Trowa pursed his lips, emotions Duo had never seen glistening in his green eyes. "Isn't it obvious? Quatre is...a vampire."

The braided Preventer shrugged off Trowa's hand. "But don't you want to know how? Know why?" Duo's voice escalated as his frustration mounted.

Hilde placed a soothing hand in the middle of his shoulder blades. "Maybe Trowa is right. We all need time to cool off, to clear our heads."

Duo clenched his fists at his side, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves. He turned to her, grabbing her hand in both of his. "Hilde, I understand. But...I can't lose Heero again. They could already be gone-"

Trowa turned his attention to the couple, his expression back to its normal, stoic state. "They won't go far."

"How can you know that, Tro?" Duo muttered, his shoulders slumping as the vigor slowly drained from his body. All he could think about were the moments when Heero had been torn away from him in the past.

"Quatre's state is too vulnerable to travel. It would be too difficult," Trowa stated in a monotone, his eyes shifting sadly to the ground from which the vampires had emerged. He then added in a whisper, more to himself than anyone else, "They may not be human, but...they loved us in one life. Maybe they can still love us in this one."

* * *

_AC 201. 21. June_

_0630 hours [6:30 am]_

_Earth - Unknown Location - Merquise Estate_

Milliardo Peacecraft sat uneasily in the plush leather chair behind the intricately engraved wooden table he used as a desk. His entire body was still except for the quivering in his right leg caused by the steady tapping of his booted foot against the carpeted floor. He stared intently at the gold leaf frame in his hands, the picture of a young Relena Peacecraft staring happily up at him beneath a thin layer of glass.

Several wraps on the door finally brought him back to reality. "Milliardo? May I come in?"

He opened his mouth to speak, but having not spoken in quite sometime he found it difficult to find his voice. After clearing his throat he replied gruffly. "You may."

The thin, elegant frame of Lucrezia Noin slipped into the room. Her hourglass figure slightly hidden beneath her tomboy-ish riding outfit, dirty from her morning ride about the grounds. She moved softly around the desk to where the platinum haired man had been perched for over twelve hours. "Milliardo? It's a beautiful day outside," she placed a calm hand on his shoulder and he gazed up at her with little expression. "Why don't you get out of this room for a bit?"

Quietly he reached for her hand, removing it from his shoulder, and giving it a tender kiss. "Thank you, but...no."

Noin furrowed her brows, her calm state dissipating quickly. "You can't stay locked up in here forever. Are you going to let guilt eat away at you for the rest of your life?"

With a gruff sigh he let her hand fall and he turned his attention back to the picture of his baby sister. "Who's to stop me?"

"Me!" Noin placed her palms on either shoulder this time, looking straight into her fiancee's silvery blue eyes. "You had no control over Duo Maxwell's infection. It wasn't your fault, so you can't let it get to you!"

"But you are so wrong, Lucrezia." He pulled away from her, standing and walking towards a large window that looked out upon Noin's stables. "I may not have given the order, but I sent my hounds to the Sanc Kingdom. No one deserves infection against their will. You of all people should understand that."

Noin's eyes fell for a moment as her memory raced. "I know, Milliardo. But it's in the past now, you can't do anything about it. Duo is one of us, and you need to let it go."

Milliardo watched as the sun rose over the land, filling its valleys and hills with shadows and warm light that glistened against the morning's dew. He sighed and turned to her with a forced smile, "I know."

Seeing right through his facade Noin's rosy lips parted to emit a small laugh. "I'm glad to see you're trying." She made her way towards him, wrapping her arms around his torso affectionately. Milliardo hesitated for a split second before returning the hug, kissing the top of his fiancee's inky black locks.

"I still wonder how Cyrus could make such an obvious mistake, attacking Duo and all. Doesn't he recognize any of the Preventers yet?" Noin mused as she closed her eyes, reveling in the man's embrace.

Milliardo's body stiffened, but not enough to give him away. "Yes...well Cyrus is a protective man. His instincts sometimes get the better of him...protecting his pack and all."

"But still," Noin raised her head to gaze into Milliardo's rigid features. "Mistaking Duo for a trespasser? And not even in their own jurisdiction...it seems strange to me."

The long haired man swallowed once before answering, keeping his eyes locked with hers as to reassure her. "I already spoke to Cyrus about it. He is aware of my disapproval. But there is nothing more I can do...like you've been trying to tell me." His lips twitched upwards into a smile, this time trying to make it seem as natural as possible. She grinned back at him, and relief fluttered through his tense muscles.

"Would you like some breakfast? I'm sure I can find something in the kitchen for us," she wondered, any concern regarding their conversation gone from her dark eyes.

With a small sigh he nodded in agreement, just happy that she hadn't pressed him with more questions regarding Maxwell's suspicious attack. He hated not being able to share everything with his soon to be wife, but this was his burden to bear...he just hoped that it would be the only burden he would have to bear ever again. But knowing Treize...this was just the beginning.

* * *

_AC 201. 21. June_

_0730 hours [7:30 pm]_

_Earth - Sanc Kingdom - Peacecraft Mansion_

Duo Maxwell peeled open his sleep filled eyes, a deep orange glow assaulting his vision from the many large windows wrapping Quatre Winner's suite, the bedroom he had fallen asleep in several hours earlier. Stretching his sore muscles, he rolled over to face a statue-like Trowa gazing out upon the sunset illuminating the Sanc Kingdom.

"Tro?" At Duo's voice, the tall man turned, a willowy finger resting against his lips and pointed to a still sleeping Hilde on the velvet chaise lounge across from the king size bed Duo currently occupied. He had almost forgotten that the three had fallen asleep in each other's comfort after a long night of debate and conversation in the Winner Suite. They had slept the entire day away and now the sun was sinking yet again, and Duo's adrenalin began to race. Soon Heero and Quatre would be rising from their own daytime slumber.

"Trowa-" Duo started again, his voice now a low whisper as to not wake his female coworker. Trowa's green eyes widened slightly and he sighed in annoyance, almost as if he could read Duo's impulsive thoughts. He walked towards the bedroom door and motioned for Duo to follow him into the hallway. Closing the door, he gave Duo a pointed look.

Leaning casually against the wall, Duo gave him a sly look. "What?"

"You're not going over there." Trowa's face was half hidden by his bangs, but nonetheless intimidatingly unyielding.

Duo raised his eyebrows in an innocent manner and shook his head. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Trowa's scowl did not waver. "Duo."

The braided man matched his scowl in a mocking fashion. "Trowa."

Trowa snorted in an irritated retort. "You're going to go to Heero's apartment. Where he is harboring a newborn vampire thirsty for fresh, human blood. And this sounds like a good idea to you?"

Duo took a moment to contemplate this, rubbing his chin for effect. "Yep, sounds like something I would do."

Trowa's eyes rolled to the ceiling and back to Duo with a look of annoyance. "Technically you didn't answer my question."

Ignoring his remark, Duo started down the hallway towards the mansion's kitchen, his stomach suddenly grumbling madly. "I don't know why you're so worried, Tro. It's not like anything bad could happen. Heero will be there."

With a sigh Trowa followed. "How do you even know that's where they'll be?"

Duo spun around, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. "Why Trowa, you yourself said they wouldn't go far! And besides, that's the only place they could go, Heero has his coffin there." Duo started walking towards the kitchen again, but gave a small laugh and then added, "Well, it's really more of an industrial size trunk, but you get the idea."

Trowa's exposed eyebrow quirked up in curiosity. Of course vampires would sleep in coffins, or large trunks, or whatever. But he hadn't actually thought about it until now. His Quatre would have to sleep in a coffin from now on, all day long. That was really going to put a damper on their sex life. Trowa shook his head, following Duo once more, how could he be thinking in such a manner? This was not a thing to be joking about. And besides, at this point how could he even be sure that Quatre and he would ever be able to share a bed, or coffin, ever again?

"Duo, I just want you to be careful," Trowa said with some concern in his voice. Ever since Duo had been infected, his fellow shifter had felt somewhat responsible for him.

Upon reaching the kitchen, Duo rooted around in the large, stainless steel refrigerator until he emerged with an apple between his teeth. Taking a large bite, chewing for a thoughtful moment and wiping a bit of juice from his lips he faced Trowa with a grin. "When am I not careful?"

Trowa narrowed his eyes in response. Duo shrugged his shoulders. "Okay, okay maybe I'm not always as careful as I could be, but you can't count this past week! Crazy shit has been happening, that no one, not even you, could have seen coming, Tro."

Trowa had to admit that Duo was right. The recent events had been unforeseeable, but chasing after a bloodthirsty vampire, even if it was Quatre, seemed insane to him. Although his idea of insane and Duo's idea of insane were, it seemed, impossibly different.

"I want answers." Duo bit off another chunk of apple. "I'm going whether you approve or not."

Trowa shook his head in disapproval, but Duo was a grown man, even if he rarely acted like it, and could make his own decisions. But an impulsive spark led him to grab a small knife from atop a chopping block between the two men. With a flick of his wrist he spun the blade in his skillful fingers, grabbing the handle and making a small incision in the palm of his hand.

Duo, with a mouth full of apple, gave Trowa a concerned glance. "What are you-" But before he could finish his question, the taller shifter had grabbed his wrist and pulled his hand against the blade to create a matching laceration.

Pulling his hand back in shock, Duo shot Trowa with a bemused, wide-eyed stare. "Ow! Trowa, what the hell?"

Without explanation, Trowa reached for Duo's injured hand and pressed the two small cuts against each other. For a moment the braided man still looked at him incredulously, but slowly he began to remember what he had learned about shifters sharing blood and thoughts. Trowa gave him a soft, but meaningful look. "Just in case."

Retracting his hand, Duo nodded in understanding and gave his counterpart a small smile. "I'll be careful, Tro. I promise."

Trowa's only response was a curt nod as he watched Duo leave the mansion, a hopeful gate in his step, but trepidation in his mind as to what exactly he was going to encounter when he reached Heero's apartment.

* * *

_AC 201. 21. June_

_0800 hours [8:00 pm]_

_Earth - Sanc Kingdom - Civilian Apartments_

Duo had built up a sense of accomplishment and confidence during his trek to visit Heero's eery, and quite possibly deadly home. But now, having arrived at the building, the pitch black nighttime and the ominous silence were beginning to get to him.

"It's Heero," he muttered to himself as he hesitated at the apartment building's entrance. "Just Heero...and Quatre." His paranoid whispers didn't provide himself with much comfort. As he swiped his Preventer card through the scanner and entered the dark building he repeated Trowa's words in his mind, a somewhat soothing mantra. _Be careful, be careful, be careful._

It wasn't until he was standing in front of Heero's front door that he began to wonder if visiting a vampire's private home that was sheltering a bloodthirsty newborn was a crazy idea...even for him. With a gulp he reached his knuckles out to rap on the door, but when his hand made contact with it, the door swung open several inches to reveal Heero's dimly lit entryway. Everything was still and silent, which made Duo even more nervous.

Slowly he took a step forward, not enjoying the feeling that he was becoming the character he always yelled at in horror movies that went into the creepy room alone only to be murdered by the psychopath hiding on the other side of the doorway. Instinctively he reached for the Preventer issued gun in his shoulder holster, something he was now glad he had decided to take with him as a precautionary measure.

His fingers had just began to grip the firearm when the front door slammed behind him and mere milliseconds later a cold, granite hard arm snaked its way around his shoulders pinning him to his attackers body in a vice like grip. His gun arm was seized equally as quickly, his pistol dropping to the floor, no help to him now.

Duo's voice caught in his throat and the only sound he could emit was a small gasp as the sound of fangs emerging made his heart skip a beat. The sharp teeth of his attacker skimmed the soft skin of his neck and his entire body tensed.

He had fallen right into the arms of a hungry, newborn vampire, and the only thing running through Duo's mind was where in the world was Heero Yuy?

* * *

_to be continued..._


	15. Newborn Optimism

**Bite Me**

**_Chapter 14: Newborn Optimism_**

_AC 201. 21. June_

_2000 hours [8:00 pm]_

_Earth - Sanc Kingdom - Civilian Apartments_

Duo didn't try to struggle in the vice like grip. The only thing running through his mind was Trowa's concerned voice heeding him to be careful.

The fangs grazed his quivering neck. The attacker's warm breath against his skin sent shivers down his spine. Duo closed his eyes in preparation for the painful bite to come, but then a hollow pop of fangs being retracted forced his eyes wide open. Heero Yuy's lips kissed along his neck in a flirtatious way, and his teasing voice wound its way into Duo's mind. "Never try to sneak up on a vampire, Duo."

With a vexed growl Duo pulled away from Heero's loosened grip and spun to face him with a glower. "Heero...what the fuck is going on with you? One minute you're acting as if I'm an annoying pest who asks too many questions and the next you're pouncing on me with this irritating..._morbid_ humor of yours."

"You think I'm irritating?" Heero asked incredulously, never having been described in such a way. Usually he thought Duo was the irritating one.

"You know what I mean," Duo stated harshly, not wanting to play anymore of Heero's "morbid" games. Heero, who's unusual, jaunty mood was rapidly deteriorating, gave his braided companion a nearly apologetic look. "I'm just trying to make you feel better."

Duo's face formed a surprised expression, but quickly reverted to it's hardened state. "It's going to take a lot more than Heero Yuy acting..._playful_," he said, though in his own mind he did find Heero's mischievous behavior to be pretty damn adorable. Just the fact that he was trying so hard to make Duo smile made him instantly more attracted to the vampire, if that was even possible.

Heero sighed, a small spark of irritation in his dark blue eyes. He'd put on this nearly impossible facade just for Duo and where was it getting him? Nowhere good. "Someone has to teach you not to sneak around when there is a newborn vampire in your midst," Heero stated, this time in his customary, blunt way. Duo just narrowed his already glaring eyes even more. That attitude wasn't working either. But deep down, Heero knew the only way to appease the man was to answer his questions. Although he also knew recounting the last couple of nights was not going to be easy on him...on either of them.

"Where's Quatre?" Duo asked in a demanding tone as he reached down to retrieve his gun, holstering it roughly. Heero, still shocked at how serious his braided counterpart was acting, waved his hand towards the back bedroom. "Still resting...safely away in my coffin."

Satisfied with the answer Duo gave a single nod, but still his stern disposition did not waver.

Heero gave a defeated sigh. "Duo, let's sit." He guided him to the lonely kitchen table and the braided Preventer took a seat, his arms crossed, waiting as if he were an impatient child. Though Heero recognized the accomplished look in his violet eyes; Duo had won, and he wasn't going to let the vampire forget it.

So, with a small bite of hesitation in his mind, Heero began to recount his story.

* * *

_AC 201. 21. June_

_2230 hours [10:30 pm]_

_Earth - Sanc Kingdom - Civilian Apartments_

Quatre Winner awoke slowly, his eyes adjusting to the darkness inside the coffin he currently occupied. A shiver ran through his muscles as he felt his new fangs slide out from within his still sore gums. He was hungry, this much he knew. But the hunger he felt wasn't like any sensation he had experienced during his mortal life. It was much more intense and it made his whole body quiver with energy and a fury he couldn't quite understand.

With a groan he heaved the coffin's heavy lid upwards with little effort. The room he was occupying was equally as dark except for a small line of light coming from beneath the door that he knew to be locked from the outside. Heero's doing, and something that his mind knew to be a safety precaution, but his impulses and heightened senses were displeased with. Taking a deep breath he could smell warm blood just beyond the door that made his hunger pains grow exponentially.

Shaking his head, Quatre closed his eyes, memories, still intact from his mortal mind, assaulting him unexpectedly. Duo Maxwell's smirking face appeared before him, a random memory that Quatre couldn't place specifically, but one that made him smile unintentionally. Then, as soon as the happy remembrance had appeared it vanished, his mind filling with a a rush of adrenaline and horrid images of himself, his vampire form, attacking Duo, his fangs digging into the man's neck in a greedy, vicious manner.

Gasping, Quatre's eyes flashed open. His human and vampire thoughts were intermingling violently and it made him uneasy. Was this something he would have to get used to from now until...eternity?

Before he could analyze his terrifying thoughts anymore, he heard the apartment's front door close and sensed a presence outside the dark room he was still sitting in.

After a moment of tense silence Quatre found his voice. "Heero?"

On the other side of the door Heero's hollow features saddened as he heard Quatre speak, for the first time since his turning, as if he were still the mortal man he used to be. Nothing bloodthirsty or monstrous about his tone. Just...Quatre.

Clearing his throat to rid himself of the meaningless emotions he was feeling, Heero responded quietly. "Duo left. If you would like to come out you may. I suppose you're hungry?" Immediately he knew it was a stupid question, but he had to start somewhere.

Quatre's voice was thin through the door. "Yes. I am...hungry." His answer was filled with shame, but was honest and full of longing. A longing for blood or for explanations, Heero couldn't be sure. But what he was sure of, was that the poor man's embarrassment towards his current situation made Heero cringe.

A rush of fury channeled at Treize Kushrenada flooded through Heero's mind, but in an instant he had controlled the outburst, composed himself, and unlocked the door to face the newborn vampire.

Quatre's skin, having already been pale in his human life, was nearly translucent now. It looked paper thin, revealing the tendons beneath it in full view. The delicacy of it matched Quatre's petite frame, though Heero knew now not to underestimate the small man, knowing full well that where he lacked in stature, he made up for in granite hard muscle. His aquamarine eyes still sparkled with their crystalline glow, but seemed much more sunken now, framed by dark shadows. And last, but not least were his fangs. Sharp and still nearly virgin to human flesh, they were illuminated by the faint light coming from the kitchen, and glimmered in an eery manner.

Even though Heero had encountered hundreds of vampires in his immortal life, Quatre's vampiric form actually caused a small shiver to run down his spine. He opened his mouth to speak, but found the words stuck in his throat. "Quatre..." He swallowed once in thought and then continued. "How do you feel?"

Quatre held out his hand in front of him, his eyes scrutinizing it's new appearance curiously. For a moment he seemed distracted, but eventually met Heero's gaze and answered with the faintest of smiles. "Actually, I feel surprisingly...normal." He paused and leaned against the doorway. "But, I do feel weak. Is that normal, Heero?"

Almost in shock of how well Quatre seemed to be taking his new transformation, Heero sputtered for a split second before answering, in his usual monotone. "That's normal. You're weak because you need...sustenance."

"You mean blood." Quatre's words were quick and nearly made Heero bite his own tongue.

"Well...yes," Heero answered, a quizzical look in his eye as he furrowed his brows in curious confusion at the new vampire he had recently created. When he had first been turned he had been much less eager to speak of such things as drinking blood. "You seem to be taking this well," he added through nervous teeth, a slight bit of chagrin in his sarcastic tone.

Quatre eyed his uneasy maker for a brief moment before answering with a cool voice. "I once told Trowa that everything happens for a reason, good or bad."

Heero couldn't hide a look of cynical amusement on his features, but did try his best to keep an understanding tone. "You think that me turning you into a vampire happened for a reason?"

Quatre nodded confidently. "Yes, I do." He paused to see if the elder vampire had anymore to add, but after a moment of silence he continued. "Heero, you don't have to agree with me, or believe what I believe. All I ask of you, is that you respect how I want to view this new life...in a positive light."

Heero's instincts were to argue, but the small bit of compassion he still harbored in his heart told him to simply nod in compliance. After everything, it was the least he could do for his friend. Yet still, his usually numb conscience was restless with guilt. "I am sorry that this had to happen, Quatre."

The blond vampire eyed him with his customary, quiet understanding. "It was better than letting me die." Heero was unsure of that statement, but nodded anyways.

There was a moment of silence where both men seemed to get lost in their own thoughts before Quatre posed a nervous question. "Heero...you have Synthetic Blood, right?"

With a sigh, Heero tried his best to give the newborn a reassuring smile. "Of course." In a flash of movement he made his way to the kitchen. Quatre looked quizzically at the spot Heero had been occupying seconds before, but then realized that he too now possessed such swift, animalistic speed. In a millisecond he had joined Heero.

The older vampire opened the nearly desolate refrigerator and pulled out a familiar, stubby, red bottle. He turned to Quatre and after a moment of odd hesitation, held it out to him. "Here, try this. It's O negative, that's what I drink."

Quatre held the bottle in his petite hands and eyed it tentatively. "Thank you." Heero gave him a curt nod and watched as he unscrewed the cap, giving the blood-like substance an uncertain whiff. Quatre's nose wrinkled slightly, but the overwhelming hunger running through his insides forced him to drain nearly the whole bottle.

"How is it?" Heero questioned, even though he knew the taste of Syn was nothing compared to that of fresh, human blood.

Retracting his fangs with a snap, Quatre's thin fingers wiped some of the leftover red liquid from his lower lip. "It's...not quite _satisfying_. But I suppose I do feel better."

Heero unfortunately knew exactly the feeling Quatre was talking about. "Full?" he asked.

Quatre gave him a polite nod and slumped down in one of the kitchen chairs. "Yes, I suppose so."

"It get's more bearable. Especially if you don't drink human blood, then it's harder to compare the two." Heero added, having recognized the small grimace Quatre had given after he'd finished the blood-substitute.

With a questioning glance, Quatre's eyes met Heero's own. "Do you drink human blood often, Heero?"

Not expecting such a personal question, Heero was caught slightly off guard. Duo's face appeared in his mind and a lustful hunger grew in his gut. Clearing his throat he kept his gaze focused on Quatre. "I have before."

Heero half expected a condemning look or speech from the pacifistic man, but Quatre simply nodded in understanding. "I can see how it could be a temptation."

This conversation had suddenly put an invisible weight of stress on Heero's shoulders. He wasn't ready to delve into anything personal with Quatre, even now that they shared a blood bond.

On the other hand, Quatre was just reaching the tip of the iceberg of curiosity melting though his immortal mind. Immediately a multitude of questions began to form on his lips and he felt a moment of frustration because he couldn't ask them all at once. "Heero, how long did it take for you to be able to see...to see Duo again? Or any human for that matter?"

Heero's features hardened, knowing full well that by "any human" Quatre was speaking about Trowa. He had felt the soul crushing feeling of losing the one person he cared for most when he had first been turned. It was the hardest thing Heero ever had to deal with, especially considering how unhelpful his own maker had been during his newborn stage. As much as he didn't want to delve into his private emotions, he couldn't bare to see Quatre suffer any more than he already had.

Giving the blond vampire a look of grief, he grabbed a matching kitchen chair and sat down across from him. "I think you already know the answer to that question."

Quatre's eyes softened with a depressed realization. "Three years?" His voice was a barely audible whisper.

Heero nodded, a surprising pang of regret hitting him as he looked at the newborn's dejected features. "Duo was the first true mortal I admitted my vampirism to."

Quatre lowered his head to stare at the floor beneath his feet. "I see."

His forehead wrinkling, Heero reached a hesitant hand towards his offspring's shoulder, attempting to comfort him in his own stiff way. "That doesn't mean it will take you that long, Quatre," he responded, trying to make his voice sound as optimistic as possible. As he watched Quatre's shoulders sink even lower, he could tell his consolation wasn't working too well.

"I hope you're right," Quatre lifted his aqua eyes to Heero's face. "I already miss Trowa."

Nodding, Heero replied, "It will take some time, but I will do my best to make this right...at least as right as it can be, Quatre."

"Thank you." Quatre placed a petite, pale hand onto Heero's equally pallid forearm.

This gratitude and affectionate gesture made a painful shiver of guilt run through Heero's steely veins. A thank you was the last thing Quatre should have been giving him. But it did prove that his kind, human self was still very much alive within his new, immortal body.

Heero watched as Quatre drifted in thought, most likely sifting through memories of his beloved. It made the elder vampire wonder how Trowa was handling the latest events and if he and Duo would ever be able to have such a powerful relationship as theirs. He just hoped, for both Quatre and Trowa's sakes, that their bond would be able to survive such a life-altering circumstance.

A circumstance that was all Heero's fault.

* * *

_to be continued..._


	16. Dawned On Me

**Bite Me**

_**Chapter 15: Dawned On Me**_

_AC 201. 22. June_

_0300 hours [3:00 am]_

_Earth - Sanc Kingdom - Peacecraft Estate_

Duo Maxwell sat cross legged in his desk chair, not paying any attention to the security monitors in front of him. He chewed thoughtfully on his thumb nail, recounting Heero's terrifying story in his mind over and over again.

Even though he had seen Quatre's fangs and bloodthirsty eyes in person, it was still nearly impossible to imagine his pacifist friend as a vicious monster. Heero had described him as a "ravenous newborn" that couldn't be trusted around humans, which made Duo's heart sink. Had that been why Heero had been gone from his life for so long? Because he couldn't stand to be around Duo's warm blood?

Duo ran a hand over his face; it was something he didn't like to think about. Never did he think his life would be overrun by supernaturals. Now nearly everyone he knew was turning out to be something _paranormal_. A shudder ran through his muscles as he thought about the possibility of there being other strange, unexplained superhuman viruses in their universe.

"Duo?" Trowa's voice was soft, but still startled the braided man out of his brooding stupor.

Duo shook his head, trying to bring himself back to reality. Glancing at Trowa's lean figure in the dim doorway light he furrowed his brows and checked his watch. "Tro, what are you doing up? It's the middle of the night."

Trowa met Duo's eyes with a pair of bloodshot, green ones. "Can't sleep." Sighing, he entered the security room that Duo had been occupying since the start of his midnight shift. "I figured you could use some company."

Nodding, Duo looked to the desolate chair sitting next to him with a look of regret. "Still haven't heard from 'Fei." He looked back to the tall shifter with a concerned look. "As crazy as it sounds I think I actually miss him."

Trowa pondered the statement for a silent moment before furrowing his brows. "Kushrenada must have restrained him. But why?"

Shrugging his shoulders sadly, Duo answered under his breath. "Why did he want Quatre turned?"

Pain rippled across the visible part of Trowa's face, his tired eyes closing in grave remembrance of Quatre's vicious, new fangs. "I don't know," he whispered in response.

Realizing his words had hurt Trowa more than Duo thought they ever could, the braided shifter left his seat to place a calming hand upon the taller man's shoulder. "I know it sucks, but at least he's in Heero's care."

As if embarrassed by his rash display of emotions, Trowa immediately stiffened and wiped any sign of sadness from his expression. "We have to help Wufei."

Shocked, Duo replied with a quizzical look, "How do you know he needs any help?"

Trowa shook his head. "If he didn't need help, he would have returned by now. Wufei is the most efficient man I know." He gave Duo a stern look. "With the new..._developments _going on around here it is better to be safe than sorry."

"I don't think Heero is going to be on board with us going to visit a colony full of vampires," Duo responded with a humorous grin, although he was being completely serious.

Gritting his teeth, Trowa's vision relocated to the floor beneath his feet. He had tried hard to keep his anger in check, but at this point it was easier to just let go of his stoic outer shell for once. "Why should I care what that...that _traitor_ thinks?" he spat out.

A glare wrapping his features, Duo was taken aback by Trowa's sudden indignation and spiteful tone. "Hey now, don't go blaming Heero for all of this-"

"Why? Why shouldn't I blame him?" Trowa's voice was soft, but filled with heartbreaking malice. "He is the one who turned Quatre."

Duo took an assertive step forward, an instinctive fury causing his muscles to swell and the hair on the back of his neck to stand on end. "He had no choice," he countered through clenched teeth.

"I know you're trying to protect him, Duo," Trowa responded, attempting to revert back to his normal, calm tone. "Turning Quatre was not Heero's choice. But killing his maker was."

Duo's fingers curled menacingly, his eyes glowing with fury. "He was protecting me."

Trowa, recognizing the dangerous rage coursing through Duo's body, did not respond, hoping to stave off any impulses the other man might have of shifting. That's all anybody needed right now, two hounds tearing each other, and the security room, to pieces.

He hated to admit it, but Duo was right. Heero could have never predicted that Treize Kushrenada would decide to wreak havoc on Quatre and Trowa's life in the form of Heero's infectious fangs.

Fists clenched, Duo's boiling blood slowly cooled and his fingers became loose at his sides. Sighing slowly to remove anymore vexed thoughts from his mind, Duo looked to Trowa. "How do you propose we get to L5-A0207?"

Trowa turned to face away from his fellow shifter, his face nearly invisible beneath shadows and his umber bangs. "Kushrenada is plotting something." He paused and thought about his next words carefully. "As much as I hate to say it, I think Quatre is our ticket into the colony."

* * *

_AC 201. 23. June_

_0500 hours [5:00 am]_

_Earth - Sanc Kingdom - Civilian Apartments_

The next morning Quatre gazed out the small living room window of Heero's desolate apartment with a frown. The darkness was so thick that it made his heart sink, but he knew he had to get used to the nighttime. Now that he was getting used to his nocturnal nature, it seemed that sunrise came quicker than he ever imagined in his mortal life and soon, within less than an hour, he would have to squeeze back into the claustrophobic coffin once again. Closing his eyes, Quatre pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger; he was not cut out to be a vampire.

It had been nearly a full twenty-four hours since his first sober experience as a vampire and his talk with Heero weighed heavily on his mind. He had so many questions and concerns built up inside of him he nearly felt like he'd burst if he didn't confront them soon. However, since their heart to heart Heero hadn't spoken a word to his progeny, which only added to the list of queries in Quatre's head.

Although Heero had been a very accommodating maker thus far, what with giving up his coffin for Quatre's use while he braved the less secure darkness of the bedroom and providing plenty of Syn to appease the newborn's hunger pains, all Quatre truly wanted and needed at the moment was for Heero to open up to him again.

Amidst the petite pacifist's musing, his acute new hearing skills caused his ears to perk up as Heero entered the room swiftly. Quatre turned to face his maker with a soft smile, but was met with blank, emotionless features.

"How are you Quatre?" Though Heero's face may have been devoid of feeling, his words held great worry towards the newborn under his care. Though he had never sired a vampire before, Heero didn't think it would be so..._peaceful_. Although he was dealing with Quatre Winner.

There was a pause while Quatre considered his answer carefully. He'd given the recent proceedings great thought, but the conclusion he'd reached was most definitely going to be a hard one to get Heero to agree with. Slowly Quatre opened his mouth to speak, watching his maker's features carefully. "I think...I am ready."

Heero's brows immediately furrowed, his dark eyes glistening with confusion. "I'm sorry I don't seem to follow. You're ready for what exactly?"

"I'm ready..." Quatre paused to gather enough courage to face the anger and denial soon to come. "I'm ready to see Trowa."

For once in his life Heero laughed out loud, though he immediately caught himself, but couldn't wipe the smirk from his lips. "No you are not, Quatre."

Quatre stood, fully prepared for Heero's nonacceptance, but still feeling slightly annoyed by the fact that he found any humor in the situation. "Yes, I am," he said with confident defiance. "I'm not a child, Heero. I can make my own decisions."

Heero's smirk faded when he realized that Quatre was fully serious. He sighed roughly, realizing now that it wouldn't be the vampire in Quatre that was difficult to tame, but whatever piece of his humanity that was left inside of him. "Yes you are, and no you can't. For all intensive purposes you are an infant in the vampire world and I, as your maker, must help you to grow up properly." He paused and gave the blond man a pointed look. "That means no human-or shifter-interaction."

Quatre, feeling a pulse of unfamiliar anger flowing through his muscles, struck his maker with a steely glare. "Just because it took you three years does not mean it will take me that long-"

"But it's not even been a full week yet Quatre!" Heero's voice elevated and filled the room formidably. He took a deep breath, attempting to keep his temper in check and spoke through his teeth. "You don't even fully understand your new life. Newborn vampires are unpredictable, unstable, and wildly instinctive." _Although you have strangely not shown any of these characteristics since you've been fully conscious,_ Heero added to himself with a frown.

Quatre's glare faded back into his usual, kind features. The rush of fury had left as quickly as it had come. It was a new sensation he was going to have to deal with, but for now he had bigger problems. He pictured Trowa's face in his memory, that was all he seemed to be able to concentrate on lately.

"I'm going to see Trowa. One way or another, Heero." Quatre took an assertive step towards the dark haired vampire, which caused Heero to stiffen, ready for the newborn's nature to finally become visible. Quatre's delicate hands formed fists at his sides, but he merely stood his ground.

Heero, in anticipation for any rebellious attack, clicked his fangs into view, allowing them to hang menacingly over his lips in warning to his new offspring. "I am your maker, Quatre; much older and much more powerful than you." The blond took another step forward, causing Heero's nerves to intensify. Quatre may not have been showing many normal signs of a newborn vampire, but that didn't mean he couldn't start. Although he didn't want to allow the petite man to know it, but at first newborns were often more powerful than their makers.

"It will be sunrise soon, Quatre. You need to rest..._now_," Heero growled.

Quatre's eyes narrowed, finally letting his new fiery nature filter all the way to the surface. "You may be my maker, but I am not going to let you rule my life."

In a powerful burst of energy Quatre hit Heero in the chest like a battering ram, forcing the older vampire backwards against the front door, causing the wood to splinter from the intensity of the blow.

Heero, dazed for only a split second, dug his fingers into Quatre's shoulders pushing him to the floor with a loud thud. In a flash he had his booted foot against the blond's throat, glaring down at him menacingly. "Quatre-"

Immediately his words were interrupted by Quatre's small, but powerful hands grabbed his ankle in a vice like grip, twisting viciously and tossing him to the floor like a rag doll.

The newborn was up and out the door in seconds, a furious Heero not far behind. It was still dark outside, but the elder vampire knew that dawn was fast approaching. He had to reign Quatre in, if for nothing else but to protect both of their lives from its burning rays.

"Quatre!" Heero bellowed as he tailed the extremely swift newborn. A knot began to form in his gut as he realized where they were heading: The Peacecraft Mansion.

As they reached the mansion's grounds Quatre's form came to an abrupt stop, crimson tears building in his eyes as he sensed Trowa's presence within the grand structure. He was about to continue when Heero's muscular arms wrapped themselves around his torso tightly.

"I am done playing games, Quatre. It's almost dawn," he hissed in the newborn's ear through grit teeth. Both vampire's eyes were drawn to the pink tinge licking at the ever lightening sky across the horizon.

A flicker of worry ran through Quatre, but he was determined to prove to Heero that he had no power over him. With all his might he wrenched himself free of his maker's grip, though the force was so great it caused him to stumble forward, unable to get much traction under his feet. The moment he hit the ground he was trying his best to scramble away, but Heero caught his ankle and flipped him onto his back with ease. Quatre thrashed and struggled as Heero attempted to pin him to the ground.

The sun was rising quickly now, rays peaking over the land and slithering through the shadows. At the moment they were protected by a large tree's shade, but Heero could already feel the warmth start to smolder across his features. "Quatre, we need to go _now_!"

In one last ditch effort to rebel against his maker, Quatre brought his feet up against Heero's chest and kicked up firmly, sending the vampire over his head, crashing onto his back...right into the sun's greedy light.

Heero instantly felt the familiar stinging sensation as cracks began to form across his ashen skin, the morning rays beginning to dry his body painfully. Quatre's eyes grew wide as he watched fractures form and spider across his maker's skin.

"Heero!" he took a step towards the vampire, any form of anger and determination draining from him.

In a flash Heero rose, holding up a hand, his limb trembling as the red muscles beneath his splitting skin became visible. "Don't come any closer, newborns are especially susceptible to the sun."

"But Heero, you'll die. Please, we have to get inside somewhere." Quatre's quiet voice held a frightened quiver as he watched the vampire burning and shriveling as the sun rose higher in the sky.

Heero, who's eyes were filled with agony, managed to keep his demeanor calm. The sun was already taking its toll on him, but he decided to use the situation to his own advantage. "This is a most effective way to teach you a lesson."

"Heero, please, now is not the time! We have to get inside!" Quatre's voice had elevated to a nervous, high pitch. Heero pursed his brutally chapped lips and stood his ground. Although Quatre didn't quite know a vampire's limits, Heero did. But testing these limits truly was a deadly experiment.

Heero could feel his granite skin loosening from his boiling muscles and just as he was about to remove his body from the sun's fiery light, Quatre was upon him, his tender newborn skin cracking and peeling immediately.

"Quatre, no!" Heero yelled, weakly trying to push the blond back into the safety of the cool shadows, but Quatre was trying to pull his maker towards the mansion's entrance.

His teeth clenched in pain, Quatre spoke with intensity. "We have to get inside!"

Heero, a rush of adrenaline fueled by his overwhelming instinct to protect the vampire he had created, grabbed Quatre's blistering arm and dragged both of their bodies towards the Peacecraft Mansion. It was the last place Quatre should be in his newborn state, but it was better than letting him disintegrate in the harsh rays.

Through his struggle, Heero caught a glimpse of Quatre's frail face, bloody tears streaming down his shattering cheeks. "Quatre, we're gonna make it, just hold on," he whispered, his voice rough with determination and suffering.

But as they finally reached their only hope for survival, the two vampire's were forced to stop dead in their tracks.

A large jet-black jaguar stood at the top of the mansion's front steps, it's sapphire eyes glowing in the morning light. For a moment both parties stood in silent stillness watching each other carefully before the massive black cat bared it's white fangs with a fierce, ear-splitting growl and lowered it's chest close to the ground, ready to pounce.

* * *

to be continued...

* * *

**A/N: Sorry it took me a few weeks! Thanks for reading and as always reviews are appreciated!**


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